NEW ZEALAND'S LEADING COMPUTER MAGAZINE
BlfTS 6 BYTES
May 1986: $2.25
Reviews Sporty Compaq Portable
Tidy Kaypro 2000
Zappy Fastback
Whiz-bang MindProber
Multifarious Pick
UOlUrnnS Insider's business. AII-in-1 accounting. DIY Basic. Pascal II.
Apple files. Amstrad programming. BBC teletext. Atari spreadsheet.
Spectravideo cleverness. Spectrum buying. Commodore print. And much more
PORTERFIELD
AMSTRAD
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PORTERFIELD
IT'S HERE!
Now making an
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• • •
Bridging the gap
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Commodore have done ft again. With three computers
in one, the Commodore 128 is the turning point in
personal computing. Powerful versatility. Crammed full
of brilliant options. Amazing sound and graphics and
three times the user-available memory of its competitors
willi 128k of HAM. Well established software tor every
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versatility in a personal computer
Personal Computer
64KMode |
In ttiis mode the Commodore 1 28 reproduces all the features of
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wauling to upgrade. Bead all - e»slBig 64 Software and
peripherals are instandy compatible
128K Model
In its native mode the 128 really begins to break new ground
with 119.5 FWM availat* to the user to program in BASIC.
ExpareBte lo 512K. Offif 140 commands in BASIC 7.0 tar
logical, structured programming making sound and graphics
easy to master. Built in machine language monitor, 80 or 40
columns display (ideal for wort processing), A 14 toy numeric
Keypad, and morel
CP/M Model
Using the Z80A microprocessor the 128 transforms into a
business compute running CP/M Plus version 3 0, die latest
version of the most popular business operating system for 8 bit
microcomputers. Famous programs such as dBase II, Wordstar,
Calc-star and all ol the most used applications together with
many specials packages; 80 columns.
The ClSa CP/M mode reads various 5 W CfVM disk formats.
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AUCKLAND, PHONE (091 410-9182
Yes! Please tell me more
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NAME
ADDRESS .
MAIL TODAY!
AGBB5
Hard disks are important to us
As professional software developers competing in the international marketplace, the
equipment we use has to be cost effective and reliable.
The Hard Disks that we use and recommend are Seagate Hard Drives using Orati Controller Cards,
(That may not mean much to you but it does to us!)
We can supply you with a Seagate/Omti combination at a price that you'll Find hard to beat.
When you purchase we provide you with simple instructions that make installation a breeze. If you need
more help we are only a telephone call away. Our hard disks come with a 12 month guarantee.
Prices Seagate ST213 10 Megabyte Hard Disk $1,295
Seagate ST213 10 Megabyte Hard Disk + Omti Controller & Cables $1,795
Seagate ST225 20 Megabyte Hard Disk $1,695
Seagate ST22S 20 Megabyte Hard Disk + Omti Controller & Cables $2,195
Seagate 32 Megabyte Full Height High Performance/Self Park $3,195
To order use this form:
Please supply the following'.
ADDRESS:
CITY:
PHONE No: .
Cheque Enclosed HI Please churgr mv credit card iZ-
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Expiry Dale: ,
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I For even faster service call (024) 774 464
I
I
I REMARKABLE ENTERPRISES LTD
(Software Division)
7 Crawford Street, Dunedin
Freepost 191, P.O. Box 1415, Dunedin
Telephone (024) 774-464, FAX (024) 772-948
Telsx NZ 5406 REM PAR
.. ; — r ; ; r — I For further information and a complete price list of MS-DOS Computers,
Al orders must be accompanied by a cheque, rnone}- order, postal note nr credit card mjin&er. I t ™ If-:,^ rwfcrw*.— rj^r , - ™J c^r..„™ ™tt n * ...-,., r,*A^*,
All aiders most bt^ned Your monty will not bf banked uSilafterynurorder is dtspaiched . Tape Units, Diskettes, Printers and Software, call or write today.
All orders most beared Yoiir monty will not be banked oiiil after your order is dtspaiched Tape Units, Diskettes, Printers and Software, call or wr,
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diskettes at discount prices.
Now you can get error-free 5 ! /4*\ Double Sided, Double Density diskettes delivered
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As professional software developers competing in the international marketplace, the products we use have
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The diskettes we use are the same diskettes we sell.
We import our diskettes from a U.S. factory renowned for it's quality control.
Our diskettes work on most computers and will format up to 720k bytes.
We provide a simple guarantee, if our diskettes do not perform as you want them to we will replace them,
no-questions-asked .
To order use this form:
Please supply Bds(cs) [10 diskettes per bo*l of REMARKABLE DISKETTES it M.S0
per disk [145.00 per bm of 10] to:
NAME: I
COMPANY:
■ For even faster service call (024) 774 464
ADDRESS:
CITY: _
PHONE No:
Cheque Enclosed □ Please charge my credit card C
Visa Zl American Express D D
Card Number:
Expiry Date; .
I
I REMARKABLE ENTERPRISES UD
I
I
I
{Software Division)
7 Crawford Street, Dunedin
Freepo3t 191, P.O. Box 1415, Dunedin
Telephone (024) 774-464, FAX (024) 772-948
Tetex NZ 5406 HEMPAR
Signal urc:
All orders must be accompanied by a cheque, money aider, dotuI note or credit curd number.
All orders must b< sL&ned. Your money will not be banked mull after your Order is despatched.
For further information and a complete price list of M&DQS Computers*
* Tape Units, Diskettes, Printers and Software, cali or write today.
BITS 6 BVTES
May 1986 Vol. 4, no. 8
NEWS 7,8,9
REVI EW: The Compaq Portable II is travel-tough and fast,
and is the forerunner here of this popular US brand / John Lau 10
R EVI E W: The Kaypro 2000 looks smart and lacks only lor one
or two (sensible) options / Paul Left ■ 14
MULTI-USER: A thorough perusal of PICK/ Mark James 17
REV I EW: Fastback, a very fast, floppy back-up of hard
disk/ Peter Biggs
PCoD! Exhibition catalogue and seminar programme
PASCAL: For beginners and experts / Bruce Simpson
MICROS- AT- WORK: All-in-one accounting
software / Micro Lab
INSIDER S: The Commodore wheel turns/ Mike Cooch
COLUMNS: ibm 46
23
25-40
42
44
45
Spectravideo
48
Machine Language
49
Commodore
50
BBC
51
Apple
52
Sega
55
Atari
57
Amstrad
59
Spectrum
60
BITS AND BYTES magazine is published monthly (excepting January) by Bits and Bytes Ltd, Denby House, third floor, 1 56 Pamell Road.
PO Box 9870, Auckland 1 . Phone 796-776, 796-775. EDITORIAL: managing editor, Gaie Ellis; editor, Steven Searle; Christchurch reporter,
Dion Crooks, 66-566. ADVERTISING: Auckland - Peter Biggs, PO Box 9870, 796-775; Wellington - Vicki Eckford, 753-207; Christchurch
- Jocelyn Howard, PO Box 827, 66-566. SUBSCRIPTIONS: First floor, Oxford Court, 222 Oxford Tee, Christchurch, PO Box 827, Phone
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mail, and airmail rates of $59 (Australia, South Pacific), $86 (North America and Asia), annd $1 08 (Europe, South America, Middle East).
BOOK CLUB: manager, Dion Crooks, at above Christchurch address, 66-566. DISTRIBUTION INQUIRIES: bookshops to Gordon and
Gotch Ltd, computer stores to publisher. PRODUCTION: graphic designer, Roger Guise; Typesetter, Monoset; printer, Rodney and
Waitemata Tmes. DISCLAIMERS: The published views of contributors are not necessarily shared by the publisher. Although all material
in Bits and Bytes is checked for accuracy, no liability is assumed by the publisher tor any losses due to use of material in this magazine.
COPYRIGHT: All articles and programmes published herein are copyright and are not to be sold or distributed in any format to non-subscrib-
ers of Bits and Bytes.
Bits & Bytes -May 1986 5
"We decided on PROFAX
because it gave us the most
cost effective solution to
streamlining our
accounting system."
<CT */ Mr Robert B. Mackeley,
. Mackeley,
Managing Director,
Active Components Ltd
"As an importer of a vast range
of electronic componentry, we
recently evaluated several
brands of fully integrated
accounting software for our
company."
"With little hesitation we decided on PROFAX.
We found PROFAX easy to install and with little training
our staff find PROFAX very simple to use in day to day operations."
PROFAX is the new, easy to use, accounting system
designed in New Zealand to meet the real needs of the
small business.
PROFAX is completely integrated to handle all your
necessary accounting in one.
Accounts Receivable (Debtors Ledger)
Accounts Payable (Creditors Ledger)
Invoicing/Sales Analysis
Inventory Control (Stock Control)
General Ledger.
Other PROFAX features include:
Comprehensive, easy to follow manual • easy to read
screen layout • on screen editing to eliminate errors •
immediate selection of options • simple extraction of
information for budgeting • no loss of essential data
through power failure • handles GST in an efficient
way • designed to run on IBM PC, XT and
compatible computers.
Ask your local computer retailer to show you
PROFAX. Put it side by side with any other
accounting system and you will see the
difference. Or, if you prefer, send in the
coupon for more information.
PROFAX
SMALL BUSINESS
ACCOUNTING SYSTEM
Designed and marketed in N.2. by Logical
Methods Ltd.
For a free copy of our brochure and for
further information, call Auckland 398 105.
Or, clip and post this coupon.
To: PROFAX
Logical Methods Ltd,
P O Box 37-623,
AUCKLAND.
NAME:
COMPANY:
ADDRESS:-
Ph
LM861-B&B U|
dk
6 Bits & Bytes - May 1986
Advertisers
index
Micronews
Amiga launch at PC86
Andas
Arcom Pacific
Archives
AWA
27
19
38
20
BOS
Battley
13
14
CBA
Commodore Computer
Computer Games CJub
Computerstore
Control
26,28,29
3
58,54
21
$9
Dick Smith
24
EC Gough
48
Genisis Systems
47
Hi Tech Micro
64
Imagineering
ITT
39
18
Kane Agencies
59
Logical Methods
6
Mandeno
Microbes
ML Systems
52
40
16
Olivetti
OBM
Otakou Software
Otago Peripherals
31
12
34
28
Pacific Computers
Pactronics
PC 86
PC Power
Porterfield
35,34
41
25
33
2,57
Radley
Remarkable Enterprises
36,34
4
Sanyo
Scollay (Comp)
Silkwood Furniture
Software Supplies
Spacific
Speedysoft
43
1
11
44
37
61
Tisco
Thames
22
53
Verbatim
Videolink
56,8
30
Warburton Franki
63
Commodore NZ is to give its
resurgence extra impetus at PC86 where
it is launching the Amiga into NZ.
The Amiga package, with 51 2K RAM,
an inbuilt 31£-inch drive, mouse and col-
our monitor is to cost $3995 - a price low
enough to cause a stir among more than
just the enthusiasts.
It significantly undercuts the Macintosh
and is on a par with IBM compatibles cur-
rently being favoured by the business
market.
Commodore's next step will be to prove
Paxus spin-off
Two recent spin-offs of Paxus are
Darton Holdings, trading as Phoenix
Software, and Southmark Electronics.
Phoenix is Paxus' former Unix
deveiopment team, which is continuing
with the development of an accounting
package of modules called Maestro.
The team's continued involvement how-
ever is under contract rather than as
empioyees of IAL (Paxus).
Maestro is almost ready for its market
release. Its marketing will behandled still
by Paxus.
Meanwhile Southmark has been
bought from the Paixus group by former
Paxus Commercial systems employee
Stewart Finlayson and Peter Uffindall,
formerly with Data General as a product
manager.
Southmark continues trading as an
IBM dealer, and distributing Techmar
add-ons and Toshiba printers.
CDL stripped
Computer Distributors Ltd has been
stripped of assets, and of stocks of
Spectravideo computers, and been set
to one side by Consolidated Enterprises
as it concentrates on its remaining com-
puter distribution subsidiary, CED Dis-
tributors Ltd.
CED reports a boost in sales so far
this year of Apple micros, particularly of
the $6,500 Mac Plus which at long last
has apparently taken the Macintosh into
the NZ business market.
A link between CED and
Businessworld, the IBM dealership
chain, is believed to be under negotia-
tion - Businessworld possibly becoming
a dealer of both IBM and Apple products.
Spectavideo servicing has been taken
over by Hitech Services in Auckland,
while significant stock went to South
Auckland Computers Ltd, a retailer.
how this new generation of computer can
enhance business applications.
The immediate problem is landing
enough software to support the Amiga,
which has reportedly been selling fast in
the US and sucking what software there
has become available.
A current list of Amiga software, pub-
lished in the March issue of AmigaWorld,
shows most of the 67 titles becoming
available during the first quarter of 1986 in
the US.
The list is encouraging for those consid-
ering an Amiga purchase because it fea-
tures a full range of business applications,
such as the VIP modules forspreadsheet-
ing and project planning, and entertain-
ment, such as the Adventure Construc-
tion Set.
Commodore's future seems to hinge
on the success of the Amiga as it recently
held off US$1 92m of loan defaults by
arranging further credit facilities (of
US$1 35m) through to March of next year.
Testing
The local market for pirated or "boot-
legged" copies of popular software,
such as Lotus 1-2-3, was being "tested"
by a PC clone distributor in Auckland.
Metron Holdings manager Barry
Barnes says his advertising of "DBase
III" for less than $80 was "to see what
moralistic reaction I would get from deal-
ers and licensed distributors".
The response, he claims, was an
avalanche of dealer inquiries, and stern
threats of litigation from Brimaur and
franchised distributors (wholesalers) of
Microsoft, Ashton-Tate and other well-
known brands of software.
"I could have taken close to $60,000
of orders within the first 24 hours of the
advertisement appearing - but I didn't
because it was only a test," says
Barnes.
The advertisement, he said, was a
post-script tacked to his regular mail-out
to dealers.
The conclusion of his test? "No one is
going to be moralistic about $1 500 for a
programme when you couid buy it for
$50 - no one, excepting the franchisees
distributing the $1500 products."
Barnes claims such copies of
software were already being imported
directly for personal use and for resale -
the main cost being in reprints of accom-
panying documentation - and the few
copies imported by himself were only for
personal use.
Metron sells IBM compatible Inforstar
PCs.
Bits & Bytes -May 1986 7
Micronews
Attache Chpt 1 1 Seekin Q su w° n
Attache Software has filed a "chapter
II" in the US, meaning it has no funds left
to continue trading.
Meanwhile it has reverted to becom-
ing an Australian-based company with
its NZ subsidiary continuing to operate
as usual.
The Australian "management buy-
back" will enable cost savings and will
end remittances to the US base, says
Attache's NZ manager, Bill Henderson.
He said the US downfall was attributa-
ble to the cost of pursueing a vendor
logo with IBM.
Rumour dept.
A widespread rumour that a certain
computer importer is in conflict with
Radio NZ and the Broadcasting Corpo-
ration appears to have little validity.
The corporation's information centre
manager, Tony Bengree, says there is
no conflict, and denied having problems
with unreliable computer hardware.
Computerphone is to receive a mar-
keting boost from ICL, which is seeking
local software developers' support for
the Motorola 68008-based terminal.
Videotex closes
Two major newspaper publishers in
the US have closed down their videotex
services.
The move sets back the clock on
development of a mass communications
market for electronic information ser-
vices.
The newspaper groups, Times-Mirror
and Knight-Ridder, closed their Gate-
way and Viewtron services which had
respectively 3000 and 20,000 subscrib-
ers. The viewtron investment was
US$50m.
There are initial difficulties in various
types of computers being able to access
the services, but the main reason for the
closures was high operating losses due
to advertising support not keeping pace
with the growth of subscriber demands.
A GREAT SET OF
WHEELS FOR YOUR PC
C.ltoh's new Y10 daisywheel printer will get the
word-processing ability of your PC "up and running"
at o sensible price. Crisp, clean type from carbon
ribbons. 180 words per minute - error free! Drop-in
prinlwheel loading changes typefaces in seconds.
Best of all the compact, economical Y10 has all the
features and flexibility of the proven C.ltoh FT 0.
They're both designed and built as computer
printers - not hopeful extensions of typewriter
technology.
For a dealer near
you contact -
Phone (09) 600-687. P.O. Box 68-474, Auckland.
Fatter Amstrad.,
Amstrad has launched in the UK a
"iat" version of the PCW-8256 - the
upgrade being the PCW-8512, having
51 2K of memory and two drives instead
of one. The UK price for the PCW-8512
is $1 425 (including VAT and the printer).
At first glance the extra money does
not seem significant for an 8-bit design
that can address only 64K at one time.
But the second disdrive does make it a
better buy than upgrading an 8256 - if
you actually need two drives.
The New Zealand distributor of
Amstrads, Grandstand Computers, is
not planning to import the "tat" version
because it considers local market
demand being not significant.
Grandstand points out that there is lit-
tle cost difference in installing a second
drive as an option for the PCW-8256.
. . . and Atari
Meanwhile Atari's 51 2K 520ST has
also been expanded, to 1 Mb of RAM
and a built-in 720K disc drive. The
1040STF should have about 740K to
Basic and 878K free for text (in ST Wri-
ter) because the operating system is
now fixed in ROM and does not demand
an overhead of RAM.
In the UK the 1040STF with mono
screen is costing $2,280.
Another version of the 520ST comes
without disc drive or monitor but plugs
straight into a television set, and that
costs $11 40 in the UK.
There are more than 200 software
titles for the Atari ST range, of which
about 10 are word processors and 50
are games.
Canon sells Apples
This month Canon, the Japanese
giant, began marketing Apple comput-
ers through its 1 ,000 office automation
shops.
— i
SVI SOFTWARE
MSX
GOOD QUALITY TITLES AVAIU
THE SW AND ftSX SOFTWARE !
- Flight Simulators
- 1986 Tax Return
Print: 1 29 95 - *J9.9S d
Aim amy] Ira about CmbiiIw
tha n» Moulrtt ft* S*l & M!U
For a current catalogue *
U3LE FROM
SPECIALIST
Utilities
Games
pt and di a
uar! only II
irlte to:
J
£k
PANDA Soft Init m»Hon*l 1
«•
f.O. lea t*M MJCMLAMO. IM» IUM
8 Bits & Bytes -May 1986
Micronews
No longer humble
So, what has been happening to the
humble calculator?
Sharp has 80 models to choose from
in this country, and the latest {costing
$299) is the "new generation" kind, with
104 scientific functions, 26 memories,
and recall of up to five years. It also
handles 99 titled formulae in 1454 entry
steps - and has a 24 dot-matrix display
window, and optional printer.
Commodore
write-off
Commodore Computer Corporation
Ltd in New Zealand reports an unaudited
tax-paid profit of $25,906 for the nine
months to December 31,1 985.
The directors say this result was satis-
factory in light of market conditions. As
well, "significant provision" had been
made for doubtful debts and obsolete
stock.
They reported a retail downturn which
saw some retailers going into receiver-
ship because of the sudden duty cuts on
some audio and other household
appliances.
Second venture
Following on from its joint-venture
arrangement in China, Wellington-
based Progeni has formed a joint-ven-
ture with GeoVision in Ottawa, Canada.
Progeni-GeoVision will focus on
installing their own computer systems
for the gathering, analysis and manage-
ment of geographic-referenced informa-
tion such as outside resources (gas
lines), natural resources, surface fea-
tures and service facilities.
New printers
IBM's new printer line-up now feature
"dot band printing technology", meaning
that the dots in dot-matrix print can be
enlarged or reduced to present better
quality without sacrificing speed.
Also available is the IBM Pageprinter
which can print up to 1 2 pages a minute
and offer 61 electronically stored fonts of
letter-quality print.
Unix sites
A survey of Unix sellers and buyers by
Arthur Hoby and Associates has
resulted in an estimate of there being
782 Unix-based systems installed in this
country.
Andas slimmer
Andas recently divested itself of vari-
ous operations to become a leaner and
more viable company, and it also
appears to be dropping Apple comput-
ers.
Coincidentally, Olivetti Australia has
resolved to establish itself here, with
Andas to continue as a "non-exclusive
Olivetti distributor".
Andas' NZ manager, Hugh Johnson,
says it was premature to announce the
direction of Andas' restructuring under
Sydney-based Errol Williams, who had
engineered the restructuring of CCL
Regarding Apple, Johnson says
Andas has not bought any Apple stock
since February.
Racal communicates
Racal-Milgo has been awarded a data
communications requirements contract
by the US Postal Service, worth $46 mill-
ion over five years.
Meanwhile Nippon Telegraph and
Telephone, Japan's primary telecom-
munications provider, has placed a $13
million order for advanced data com-
munications equipment, also from
Racal-Milgo.
SPECTRAVIDEO
MSXSAVE
NORMALLY $595 - PC86 EXHIBITION SPECIAL $345
PLUS A CHANCE TO WIN A DISC DRIVE WORTH $795
• Spectravideo SV1 728
ESJ home computer
• Only at PC86
• Every SV1 728 purchaser is in
the draw for a disc drive valued
at $795
• Limited quantity at this price!
SOUTH
AUCKLAND
COMPUTERS
Compatible with all
hardware and software.
South Auckland Computers
have largest range of IflVKl
software.
21 4 GREAT SOUTH RD. P.O. BOX 720
PAPAKURA, NEW ZEALAND PH 299-6030
Bits & Bytes -May 1986 9
Hardware review
Travel-tough and a 'real' screen
By John Lau
Most of you would have come across the popular Compaq range of persona!
computers advertised heavily in overseas magazines. Now, at last, they are
available in New Zealand.
Compaq computers are IBM compatible but have been more popular than
other compatibles because of high performance at low cost.
Reviewed here is a new version dr
theiroriginal portable, called Portable II.
The product family is available in three
configurations (of disc drives and RAM)
from NZ$8586 to $12069 (inclusive of
tax).
The primary differentiating factor of
the full function Portable II is its smaller
size and lighter weight relative to other
available tube-screen portables. It is
barely twice the size of my brief case and
lighter than a sewing machine.
Overseas, the price of the Portable II
is some 20% cheaper than the original
portable, with the added bonus of func-
tional enhancements like more power
and more speed.
The processor
The Compaq Portable II uses the
80286 processor, running at 8 Mhz
(primary speed).
I can also run at 6 MHz to provide
more compatiblity with the IBM AT.
On paper, operation at the primary
speed provides you with a 33% gain in
processing speed compared to the IBM
10 Bits & Bytes - May 1986
AT. This is an important consideration
when purchasing the machine for net-
working and multi-tasking environ-
ments. IBM's Top View is one that
comes to mind.
Processor speed setting can be
selected via one of the following: MS-
DOS MODE command, jumper setting
on the processor board, and the easiest
of all, the keyboard's multiple key com-
mand -the sequence being CTRL ALT
Real time clock, battery and 80287 co-
processor socket are all standard on the
mother board.
CMOS memory
System memory and drive configura-
tion details are stored in CMOS memory,
along with the system date and time.
CMOS memory replaces dip switches
found on other computers for setting
system configuration.
The battery in the system unit pro-
vides power to the CMOS memory for up
to three years and you would not have to
worry about it during power failure.
System configurations are estab-
lished through the SETUP function of
the Diagnostics Program, on a disc
within the User's Guide manual.
The Portable II boots up quickly, and
this is done without skipping memory
checking.
I had my stopwatch on while it was for-
matting 360 Kbytes. I stopped it at 41
seconds, which is pretty fast.
Generally disk accesses are fast, and
the same goes for spread sheet calcula-
tions and data base enquiries.
Display models
The monochrome monitor, to the left
of the unit, is a high resolution dual mode
monitor; dual mode in the sense that it
can display both text and graphics so
that you do not need a second monitor or
graphics card. It has a medium persis-
tence green phosphor screen.
The 9-inch screen is quite legible but
not as crisp or sharp in the medium
resolution graphics mode. We can
blame IBM for that- with only a def i nition
of 320 by 200 pixels, no wonder.
The high resolution fares slightly bet-
ter with 640 by 200 pixels.
Jt is much better in the text mode
where we have 720 by 350 pixels.
There are 16 levels of grey scale, a
brightness adjustment knob on the front,
situated just under the floppy disk drive,
Hardware review
COMPAQ
PORTABLE
as well as the usual 80 columns by 25
lines display for text.
The Portable II has a set-back com-
mon to portable computers, Le. the dis-
play is usually below your eye level
when you set the unit on desk tops,
I have to hunch my back to seethe dis-
play. The other option is to reposition the
unit with some thick books (computer
manuals?) under the unit.
This particular display surfers from
another irritating problem. It has a very
slow decay time. It consistently takes
between one to two seconds for the pre-
vious screen to completely disappear,
I find this unacceptable during graphic
sessions.
The VDU (visual display unit) has no
noticeable flickers, although I find it
glares with noticeable intensity.
All these led me to test the unit's provi-
sion for external I/O (Input/Output) inter-
faces. I connected up my NEC RGB
(red-green-blue) monitor and followed
the instruction to enable {CTRL ALT <)
it. I had no Joy, I could not get it to work,
and concluded that it is incompatible
with NEC.
Keyboard
The keyboard is physically 43cm W by
3.3cm H by 17.5cm D and weighs 1.25
kilograms. It fits into the bottom of the
unit, and is the base of the computer
when you are carrying it around.
It is an 84-key, slightly modified IBM
AT-styled keyboard.
Instead of the 10 function keys in two
columns down the left side, they are
ranged across the top in two groups of
five and the keys themselves are smal-
ler.
The two keys that are extremely large
are the RETURN and SHIFT keys -you
cannot miss them, and touch typists
would be kept happy.
Green LEDs (light emiting diodes)
indicators are on the NUM, SCROLL
and CAPS lock keys.
The keys feel acceptable although
they are not of the high tactile resistance
type -there's not much rebounce after
you hit the keys.
The speaker produces an audible
click (adjustable) each time you hit a
key.
But even the sound of the cooling fan
drowned the "clicks" in a still and quiet
environment.
The keyboard is attached to the CPU
by a coiled cord - which proved awk-
ward in packing back in its hole.
Disk drives
The floppy disk is of the 360 Kbytes
type rather than the AT's 1 .2 Mbytes,
Thus you will have compatibility prob-
lems when you start bringing work home
from the office's AT.
The IBM AT will have no problems
reading 360 Kb disks, but I am afraid our
Portable II will not be able to read disks
written on the AT's drives.
It takes a little getting use to the floppy
disk drive in the Portable II as it is reces-
sed well into the face plate of the unit and
has a flap-type latch for opening and
closing the drive. You have to insert the
disk right into the recess until it clicks
and then close the flap.
The drive itself works beautifully; very
quiet in operation.
The 10Mb drive sits above the floppy.
It too is very quiet. Movement of the drive
head goes unnoticed.
Drive A (floppy drive) is located on the
bottom to provide for ample clearance of
the shock mounting hardware required
the hard disk drive.
Documentation
A Compaq User's Guide provides an
overview of the computer's abilities and
r
NEW
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even MORE efficient & comfortable —
safer still AGAINST RSI
Proved invaluable to ALL operators no matter how long
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you orthe Computer are thinking, acts as an ARM rest
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STOPS TIRED ARMS FROM SINKING TO THE
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New SILKWOOD Copystand ECS3 still has the ergonomic
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FITS ON YOUR DESK OR -
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MANY OTHER UNITS
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FROM $515
- PRICES SUBJECT TO CHANGE
Bits & Bytes - May 1 986 1 1
AND
ADDS
Applied Digital Data Systems Inc.
A Subsidiary of NCR Corporation
offer a wide range of New Zealand businesses the
complete solution covering hardware, software, and a
completely automated office system.
M1500
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M5500
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Chances are we can help your business. Because, after all. you
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P.O. Box 2974,
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Ph: (04| 738-333
Contact:
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P.O. Box 6167,
AUCKLAND.
Ph: (09) 793-270
MENTOR PRODUCT RANGE
MENTOR MENTOR MENTOR MENTOR
1500 1700 2000 4000
MENTOR
5500
MENTOR
1000
RAM
Minimum Memory
Maximum Memory
Expansion
256 K
2 MB
64 K
256 K
252 MB
64 K
512 K 256 K 512 K
2 MB 1024 K 1024 K
64 K 256 K 512 K
512 K
1.5 MB
512 K
DISC CAPACITY
Minimum Disc
Maximum Disc
720 K
720 K
10 MB
20 MB
20 MB 26 MB 60 MB
40 MB 132 MB 300 MB
167 MB
668 MB
TAPE/BACK UP
Diskette
Diskette
Diskette 'A" '/>"
A" Cartridge Cartridge 1600 BP1
1600/3200
PORTS
Minimum Ports
Maximum Ports
1
1
1
3
1 8 3
9 32 64
32
64
PRICE RANGE: FROM $7,000 TO 5300.00
Future products announced bvQ 3 inch
MENTOR 6000 -" 32 — ~56 Por
— S x 180/300/500 MB Discs
— Multiple Tape Drives
ide:
s
— Net Throughput 4 x 4154 EP
— Available Second Quarter 1986
12 Bits & Bytes - May 1 986
Hardware review
operation, and includes a Set-Up disc
with manual of key commands and other
operational requirements.
It is glossy, colourful and particularly
well presented for first-time users.
The Portable II runs most, if not all,
IBM PC/XT/ AT software. I was provided
with a 37 page booklet that lists all the
programs that Compaq had tested to run
on the machine.
One interesting option is the Automa-
tic Power Switching board. This clever
board enables the Portable II to operate
on any electrical outlets around the
world without an external transformer or
setting a voltage switch - just the thing
for globe-trotters. (The only setback is
the various plugs used in different coun-
tries.)
There are four expansion slots hidden
under a sliding door to the right rear of
the unit, although the first two are
already taken up by the printer and the
RGB interfaces.
You can expand the RAM (Random
Access Memory) up to 2.1 Mb without
the use of an expansion slot. To upgrade
a further 2 Mb only requires one expan-
sion slot.
If you do that, then the last slot could
be for networking, mainframe communi-
cations or perhaps another 10Mb in a
card. ■
COMPAQ SUMMARY
Name:
COMPAQ PORTABLE II
Manufacturer:
Compaq Computer Corporation, USA
Components Processor:
1 6 bit 80286, 8MHz or 6MHz clock speed
(program or keyboard selectable)
Realtime clock
Mass storage:
One 360 Kb 5 1 A i nch Vb height floppy disk drive
One 1 Mb Vz height fixed disk drive
Memory:
640 Kb RAM expandable to 2.1 M on main
board or 4.1 M with an expansion board
Display:
9 inch green monochrome dual mode-monitor
high resolution text and graphics
Keyboard;
84 key modified IBM AT style QWERTY with 10
function keys. LED indictors on CAPS lock,
NUM lock and SCROLL keys.
Adjustable key clicks
I/O Interfaces:
RGB color monitor, RF modulator, composite
video, parallel printer and asynchronous
communications interfaces
Expansion:
Two slots
Operating System:
MS-DOS 3.1
Size:
45cm W x 1 9cm H x 35xm D
1 1 .6kg
Software:
none supplied
compatible with IBM PC/XT/AT
Options:
512/1536 Kb system memory board
51 2/2048 Kb memory expansion board
Automatic power switching board (1 1 to 220 V)
MS DOS/BASIC 3.1 and reference guide
Price:
$12,069 including tax
$9,068 for a 256 Kb, two drive model
$8,586 for a 256 Kb, single drive model
Review machine supplied by Scotlay Computers, Wellington.
BOS software gives you
true multi-user function
even on single user PCs
(e.g. SANYO* WANG
i PC» CANON* IBM •PC/XTl
BUSINESS OPERATING SOFTWARE
Now in New Zealand
BUSINESS SOFTWARE
Job Costing
Bill of Materials
Ml Payroll
Fixed Assets
Accounts Payable
Inventory Control
Debtors Sales Ledger
Simple Invoicing
Sales Order
Processing
BOS has 30% of multi user micro sites in the
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+ 10,000 sites in 30 countries
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OFFICE SOFTWARE
General Ledger
Integrating
BOS /Aulo clerk
BOS/Planner
BOS/Writer
BOS/Finder
Report Writer
Financial Modeller
Word Processing
Database
Software (NZ) Ltd, P.O. Box 221, Auckland. Phone (09) 798-178
Bits & Bytes - May 1 986 1 3
Hardware review
Another stylish LCD lap-top
Kaypro 2000
by Paul Left
The Kaypro 2000 is a recent entry into thi .
it. the market for such machines seems to lie mainly with business
-table IBM- compatible micro
arket. The market for such machines seems to lie mainly with busine
xecutives who might have to take their work with them wherever they go.
A briefcase-sized micro running MS-DOS software undoubtedly has more
style and carries more status than a briefcase full of paper, and miniaturised
equipment of any sort holds a great deal of fascination for many people.
Many children have access to easy-
to-use, stimulating, and productive prog-
rams such as Newsroom or Print Shop,
and adults are entitled to software tools
of a similar standard.
This explains in part the popularity of
memory-resident software, usually with
a 'desk-top' theme, such as is supplied
with this machine, and which is designed
to provide a set of tools to enhance the
LOAD UP FOR LESS
SOFTWARE:
Lotus 1-2-3
Mu Iti Plan
SuperCalc 3
pmMB
Gondorlll
dBase II
dBase III
Framework
Friday
InfoStar Plus
PFS File
Power Base
R:Base 5000
Reflex
SupsrSort II
Direct Tree HI
HardRunner
HardRunner (Hard disk version)
Move-It
Norton Utilities 3.1
Prokey Version 4
QuickCode (dBase M dBase 111)
Sideways
Sidekick (Unprotected)
Spotlight
i:i»];l»l;]i1'H44--MJ
WordStar
WordStar 2000
WordStar 2000 +
WordStar Easy
WordStar Professional
MultiMate
Leading Edge
PFS Write
Samna III
SuperWriter
Vol ks Writer
$895.00
$437.00
$814.00
$1605.00
$865.00
$1146.00
$1169.00
$646.00
$695.00
$308.00
$1320.00
$1142.00
$223.00
$249.00
$195.00
$119.00
$207.00
$310.00
$244.00
$325.00
$688.00
$125,00
$195.00
$314.00
$395,00
$595.00
$728.00
$227.00
$618.00
$910.00
$695 00
$362.00
$1095.00
$625.00
$969.00
■ ftldAMiMlliMiHiBSl
64K set of 9 chips $55.00
256Ksetof9chips $165.00
MEMORY EXPANS ON BOARDS
512K board (No RAM)
5 12K board (256K fitted)
5 12K board (384K fitted)
2Mb board (No RAM)
4Mb INTEL board (No RAM)
MULTIFUNCTION CARDS
384K AST 6 Pak Plus (Incl 64K)
3B4K EXZEL [No RAM)
3Mb Orchid ECCELL (No RAM)
$230.00
$400.00
$505.00
$903.00
$1050.00
$895.00
$475.00
$1365.00
$700.00
$2695.00
$475.00
$775.00
$875.00
$875.00
iflliM'lsMflil'H
EXZEL Turbo 8088-2
ORCHID Turbo 801 86 - 8087 slot
MONO GRAPHICS CARD
EXZEL Hercules Compatible
PARADISE Modular Graphics
HERCULES Graphics
COMWAY Graphics
COLOUR GRAPHICS CARDS
PERSYST Short Colour (Parallel) $497.00
HERCULES Short Colour $450.00
EXZEL Colour Card $350.00
PERSYST Short Colour (Serial Port) $440.00
PE RS YST Hlg h Resolution $1 250.00
mmmBMBam
IML 360K diskettes (per 10) $39.00
EXZEL 360K diskettes {per 25) $75,00
IML 60Mb Tape unformatted $1 00.00
I M L 60Mb Tape formatted $156.00
Cartridges Refills for Canon PC10, PC20,
PC2S, HP Laserjet, Apple Laserjet, Corona
Lase rjet and QMS Smartwrite r P ri nters. $155.00
HARDWARE:
tnSBESEESSm
Parallel Port Adapter
Serial Port Adapter
Serial /Clock /Parallel
Serial / Parallel
$16300
$140.00
$330.00
$325.00
Terms Nert 7
IBM PC-XT + AT
ITMESEHEEII^
Full systems with Monochrome Graphics
CALL
PC-1
PC-2
PC-XT 5Mb
PC-XT 10Mb
PC-AT 20Mb
$2400.00
$2900.00
$4200,00
$5850.00
$9900,00
C.J.
& Associates Ltd
AT: 1st Floor, 10 O'Connell Street, Auckland 1 Telephone: (09) 34-545/34-546
TERMS: N ett c as h 7 d ay s t ro m recei pt of g o o ds PltaB oSijST'eo T^lmE'sz" iCB
work activities of the user.
Whether using a system like the
Kaypro 2000 results in increased pro-
ductivity or job-satisfaction depends to a
large extent upon the tasks required of it,
the user's work patterns, and the overall
design of the computer and its software.
Thus, the best approach for a pros-
pective purchaser is to talk with existing
users of the same system. Neverthe-
less, this article aims to provide an
objective look at the Kaypro 2000 pack-
age.
With style
The machine arrives with a very
stylish brushed aluminium case in dark
grey and black, looking rather like a very
small briefcase. Also included is a pad-
ded nylon shoulder bag.
The metal case gives the computer a
more solid, substantial feel than the
more usual plastic-cased machines, and
care has obviously been taken with the
design of the case.
Lift back the lid, and the machine runs
through a test of its 256K of RAM, then
attempts a boot of the built-in 3.5 inch
disk drive.
The disk drives are moderately noisy,
and some of the sounds are a little dis-
concerting at first.
The display is a 23cm by 7cm LCD
screen, 25 lines of 80 characters, and a
detachable keyboard familiar to users of
IBM clones.
The overall impression is of a neatly-
designed and compact layout, although
the small plastic rod taped to the case
behind the machine seems to be a has-
tily-added feature. This rod was the sub-
ject of some humorous conjecture until
we found from the manual that it was
necessary to reset the computer under
some circumstances.
Desk-top view
Once DOS has booted, you have the
option of loading one of two versions of a
desk-top package before loading the
applications software you're going to
use.
The two versions are called Polywin-
dows and Kdesk. Kdesk is a subset of
Polywindows and uses less memory.
The software bundled with the
machine includes Wordstar (of course!),
Mailmerge, GWBASIC, Mite (communi-
1 4 Bits & Bytes -May 1986
Hardware review
cations software), Travelling Expense
Manager, Correctstar, and Starindex.
The 3.5 inch disks have a capacity of
720K, so all this software, along with
Polywindows, MS-DOS, and various
utilities are supplied on just 3 disks.
When you boot one of these disks,
you immediately enter a backup proce-
dure. This helpful feature ensures that
this important job is carried out as soon
as the computer is first set up and hot left
until it's too late.
Polywindows is a desk-top package
which includes a calculator, calendar
and alarms, a sliding-tile puzzle, and a
programmer's calculator which converts
between binary, decimal, octal, and
hexadecimal.
Other features are a communications
package, a simple text editor, and a
'card-index' system for storing and
retrieving brief notes and items of infor-
mation.
Windows on-cali
The desk-top you choose is loaded
into memory before your application and
called up at any time with a keystroke.
The larger program, Polywindows,
takes a fair chunk of RAM; you can load
Wordstar, for instance, but cannot then
call up Correctstar to check your spelling
with the desk-top in memory.
It's very easy to use, however, and it is
nice to call up one function after the
other, see the windows overlay across
your Wordstar edit screen, and then
remove them one by one and find your
file still intact and the cursor waiting
where you originally left it.
You can also move the windows
around; if you don't like where the cal-
culator appears on your screen, for
instance, you can move it somewhere
else.
I felt the windows package was the
most appealing feature of the Kaypro
2000, along with the physical design of
the machine.
Not quite clear
The main disadvantage,
however, is that all this is not as
pleasurable and as productive as 1
it should be because everything'
on your screen
is hard to read.
The LCD screen has 2 positions, the
keyboard is detachable, and you can
alter the contrast of the screen from the
keyboard, but in spite of all this I found
the display difficult to use over a period
of time and conducive to eyestrain.
I never felt that the display was quite
right and found myself constantly adjust-
ing my position to try in vain to improve
the legibility.
Still, you may feel this is a worthwhile
price to pay for 35 lines of 80 columns in
such a compact and portable package,
and that the software with this machine
is a good trade-off.
Lacks connections
There are several other features of the
machine which I was not impressed
with.
Firstly, there is no provision for con-
necting a standard monochrome
monitor, which would provide
a better trade-off between
portability and legibility.
For some users, the ability
to use the computer with
a monitor in the office or
home, and relying on
the LCD screen only
when 'on the road'
could make the
difference between a
worthwhile purchase
and an unproductive
system. Personally,
I would think twice
about committing
myself to a
machine with a
screen of this
type and no
possibility of
adding a
monitor
My next complaint is that there is only
an RS-232C serial connection for a
printer. I hoped to give the machine a
thorough test by writing this review on it,
but without a parallel interface the file
was doomed to never make it on to
paper.
At present, the suppliers have only a
daisy-wheel printer than can be used
with the Kaypro, so there's no way you
can print anything but text.
That means you couldn't get
hardcopy of the 640 by 200 graphics
available through BASIC.
Likewise, you couldn't print out
graphs from software such as Lotus 1 23,
even if you could get it on the 3.5 inch
format.
Uncertain library
Which leads on to my next point,
which is that software other than that
bundled with the computer could be hard
Jo get.
The supplier is uncertain
.about what software
Jsavailable,
W
: jm-M]
IT
I i ii i i ! i ■■/; 4 ; , ii
; / /-../ / / / '.-./•' i i
J 1 1 i ■/ './" / ii
but that
their previous
customers
seemed happy
with the software
already bundled
with the machine.
I would agree that the
Kaypro does come with
an impressive package, but
computer users have a
tendency to expect more from
their machines as time goes on.
Personally, I wouldn't like to buy any
software on 5,25 inch disks unless I
knew I could download it successfully
through the serial port to the 3.5 inch
disk.
If the 3.5 i nch format does become the
ails a Bytes -May 1986 15
Hardware review
standard, however, as many people
have been claiming it will, then the
software shortage will not last.
Certainly the disks are convenient to
use and have a nicely indestructible feel
to them, and their storage capacity is
impressive, but their predicted domi-
nance in the market is not a certainty.
Expansion box
One future asset to the Kaypro 2000 is
the 'base unit', which will fit underneath
the existing computer and give the capa-
bility to add IBM -type expansion cards,
additional disk drives, and other I/O
functions.
This add-on will cost around $2500,
but is not yet available in New Zealand.
There is also expected to be available
an upgrade to provide 640K of memory.
One improvement I would keenly seek
would be an upgrade to swap the pre-
sent screen for a back-lit LCD display,
which I have seen advertised in Austra-
lian magazines.
Despite these gripes, the Kaypro
2000 deserves serious consideration if
you are looking for an IBM-compatible
portable with good looks, word-proces-
sing, and a desk-top windowing capabil-
ity.
KAYPRO 2000: SUMMARY
Manufacturer:
Kaypro Corporation, USA.
Intei8088
Processor:
Operating System:
MS-DOS
Standard RAM:
256
Disk Drive;
1 720K 3.5 inch micro-floppy
Display;
640 x 200 graphics or 25 lines of
80 characters, LCD
Input/Output:
Serial port, telephone/modem port,
100-pin connector
Keyboard:
77 keys, 1 function keys, cursor
control keys, auto-repeat.
Price:
$4550
Review machine kindly
loaned by Hi-Tech Micro, Auckland.
The Travelling Expense Manager
expands the potential usefulness for
organisations with employees who
travel in their work, and the communica-
tions software should enable transfer of
files and data.
If you don't mind the less-than-perfect
display and the lack of a parallel printer
port and are not likely to need any other
software, then the system could be a
good buy at $4550.
The Kaypro 2000 might be just the
thing to keep you going in the meantime
while you wait for the elusive, perfect
portable. ■
If its news. . .
ring
Steven Searle,
796-775
When G.S.T. arrives next year,
two things can happen to
your business
^
Increased paperwork
More form filling
Staff re-training
More book-keeping
High compliance costs
(mls)
dJoflLTDDW
the software answer to G.S.T
Designed in N.Z. specifically for the first time user, MLS Junior is a
complete accounting system. You can raise tax-declared invoices,
control your stock, supplier payments and debtors, and much more.
Best of all you can grow with MLS. As your business expands, Junior
can be upgraded to the MLS Professional series or even Multi-user!
YOU'LL NEVER OUTGROW MLS
Of course to enjoy the benefits of Junior you don't have to wait for G.S.T,
— call your local dealer today.
M L SYSTEMS, P.O. BOX 83-091, EDMONTON, AUCKLAND, PH. AK 8360558
16 Bits & Bytes - May 1986
Multi-users
The principles of Pick
by Mark James
Two years ago, Mr Dick Pick and his company, Pick Systems, launched a
massive publicity campaign for the computer operating system that bears his ;
name.
The purpose of the campaign was to challenge the rising star of Unix; most
people, it seemed, thought that Unix was the only independent multi-user
operating system around, and the Pick people wanted to change that.:
Is the Pick system really as good as it claims to be? Is it the only alternative
to Unix for small multi-user: computers? :
This month the multi-user column
looks at Pick and what makes it special.
Pick, like its opposition, advertises
itself as a system directed at business
and management.
Like Amps, it is built entirely around a
database; the functionality and effi-
ciency of Pick is therefore dependent on
that of its database.
Unlike any of the other multi-user sys-
tems, however, Pick's database is struc-
tured entirely upon a data dictionary.
This gives Pick a level of flexibility
unmatched by its rivals; but also
imposes some penalties on its users,
especially for large databases involving
heavy use of the disk. We shall see why
in a moment.
Pick distributors in New Zealand
include Online Business Management
(OBM), Ultimate Computers, AWA and
Prime. Each sells a range of hardware
as well.
The versions of Pick that companies
sell are not fully compatible; each has
gone in for some non-standard
enhancements to the generic Pick sys-
tem. In this article, we will limit ourselves
mostly to generic Pick.
Interpreted
Most independent, portable operating
systems (that Is, those which are not
dependent on any particular type of
hardware) use a trick known as a "virtual
machine".
This means that the operating system
software is written in an ideal assembly
language - not one for a real computer,
but one for an imaginary, ideal computer
conceived for a particular purpose.
Then, in order to run the operating
system on a real computer, its pseudo-
assembly language must be translated
into the real assembly language of the
computer concerned.
Most "virtual machine" operating sys-
tems do this by going through an
interpreter for the pseudo-code; this
means that each pseudo-code instruc-
tion is interpreted by a subroutine in real
assembler code.
Some implementations of Pick, how-
ever, attempt to bypass this interpreter
phase by compiling the pseudo-code
directly into a machine's assembly lan-
guage. If this is done properly, it can
result in a significant improvement in
speed.
The improvement is not as drastic as
that between interpreted Basic and com-
piled Basic, but the principle is the same.
Unfortunately, the Pick version for the
IBM PC/XT (and its clones) is inter-
preted, not compiled. This is apparently
because the 8088 chip has no memory
management instructions, which Pick
needs to run in a multi-user environ-
ment; therefore, Pick must fake them in
its pseudo-code interpreter.
Database
In spite of the fact that the Pick system
is only now becoming widely known, the
roots of the system go back over twenty
years.
Multi-User series:
Part IV
Dick Pick, a true 1960s computer
guru, was arguably the first person in the
world to design a complete operating
system around a database and a data
dictionary. In fact, the Pick operating
system exists solely to run the Pick
database.
Everything in Pick is defined in terms
of a dictionary: When you log on, for
example, your access privileges, the
files and commands that you can use,
are described as elements in your
account dictionary.
The number and meaning of fields in a
data record are defined in a data file dic-
tionary, and relationships between files
are simply references from one file's dic-
tionary to another.
A dictionary-driven database has a
great deal of inbuilt flexibility.
For example, fields can be added to
records, or their sizes or other charac-
teristics can be modified, simply by
changing the dictionary for the file con-
cerned.
Since the data is sorted on the disk as
a series of variable-length fields, the
content of those fields does not need to
be changed when the dictionary
changes. Only the order of the fields is
important (and therefore this order, once
defined, cannot be changed).
Pick takes full advantage of its dic-
tionaries in its query language, which is
called Access. (Some Pick implementa-
tions give it the rather pretentious name
of English.)
As long as you know the names of files
and their fields (these are defined in the
master dictionary for your account), you
can issue commands to do simple
reports.
To find all clients with unpaid
balances, for example, you might say
LIST CLIENT-FILE WITH BALANCE >
0. The system would then chase through
the dictionaries to find the appropriate
records.
Penalty
There is, however, a performance
penalty associated with all this flexibility.
Because the data is not stored on the
disk in a fixed format, the system has to
use a dictionary to figure out where any
given piece of information is located
within a record.
This has to be done for every single
operation that Pick ever performs, since
absolutely everything is done through
the database and the dictionaries.
The same penalty that makes inter-
preted Basic slower (if more flexible)
than compiled Basic, makes the Pick
database slower than its competitors.
Pick has, in effect, an "interpreted
database".
Programming in Pick
Programmerss who have had to write
complex business packages in Mic-
rosoft Basic will cringe at the realisation
that the Pick operating system supports
only one programming language, and
that is Basic.
Actually, Pick Basic (or DataBasic, as
it is sometimes called) is not as bad as it
sounds. You don't need line numbers
(you can even have line names); you
can create multi-line control structures
such as IF/THEN/ELSE and LOOP/
UNTIL; you can pass parameters to sub-
routines.
The language resembles DEC'S
Basic-Plus-2 in many ways.
Data may be read from the database
using the dictionaries; since everything
on the database is in character form,
string functions may be used to parse or
alter a database record.
References to a field or sub-field
within a record must be by the ordinal
number of that field or sub-field. That's
not very programmer-friendly, but it's
about what one expects from Basic.
BltS&Bytes-May198617
QUME
Quite simply, more for less
with exact VT 220 emulation.
Once again Qume comes up with more for
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The ANSI terminal is true DEC VT220
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The QVT-202 features superior
ergonomics. The durable HI-RESPONSE
Capacitive Keyboard has superb touch and
feel, and a 14" non-glare tilt/swivel screen.
QVT terminals have proven their ability
to deliver 25,000 hours without a single repair,
more than double the 10,000 hour industry
standard.
No other terminals company offers Qume's
strength in service and support through a
network of service centres. And because Qume
is part of ITT, Qume will be here in the years
to come.
Quma
▼ A Subsidiary of ITE
ill! L J I., STC DATA PRODUCTS (NEW ZEALAND) UMrTEO
AUCKLAND PH 500-019, WELLINGTON PH 857-985
P O Box 26-064 Auckland , P O Box 40-140 Wellington
The best ideas are the
ideas that help people.
ITT
IS Bits & Bytes - May 1 986
Multi-users
Perhaps the nicest thing about Pick
Basic is that you don't have to use it. The
dictionaries are so flexible that simple
programs can be structured just be
defining a field for everything that you
might need to know.
Fields can even be defined as calcula-
tions from other fields, as in a spread-
sheet. Then the Access query language
can be used to obtain a screen listing or
a printout of the desired information.
Frequently-used Pick and Access
commands may be canned into a sort of
command field called a Proc. Procs can
serve as programs for most simple tasks
suich as client enquiries, although any-
thing complicated, like an order entry
program with complex calidation
requirements, will have to be done in
Basic.
Security and friendliness
PICK protects itself with standard
password access.
This is not elaborate, and a good
hacker could crack it. However, log-on
programs exist that build their own
access dictionaries, providing such sec-
urity features as automatic shut-outs
after a number of unsuccessful attempts
to log on.
These log-on programs are not part of
Pick itself - they cost extra.
The Pick database can be backed up
either in its entirety or file by file.
Generic Pick has no incremental
back-up facility (that is, backing up only
that part of a file that has changed since
the last back-up); however, both Ulti-
mate and OBM sell Pick systems with
that feature.
No version of Pick has any facility for
transaction logging.
Pick cannot lock specific records or
files, but it has a similar provision
whereby those records which are in the
disk cache (described below) may be
locked.
This has approximately the same
effect of preventing two simultaneous
users of a program From issuing conflict-
ing changes to the same information.
Since Pick has no index or key table
structure to maintain, there is never a
problem with index integrity. However,
files must have their sizes declared
when they are created; if a file should
overflow its declared size, Pick can gen-
erally allocate more space for it, but
there is a severe penalty for this in terms
of system performance.
The user must stay on the lookout for
files that are overflowing, or nearly so,
and use the back-up and restore utility to
reorganise them into a larger space.
Pick is not always a friendly system,
especially to one not accustomed to its
unusual jargon. Records are called
"items", record keys are- "item IDs",
fields within a record are "attributes",
and so on.
To those new to the system, there is
not much in the way of on-line help; the
novice must spend much time with his-
her nose in the manuals.
For example, when you create a file
and must declare its size, Pick doesn't
ask for the "file size"; it aks for some-
thing called "modulo" and "separation".
Even those who know what this
means could find it difficult to guess the
best modulo and separation for a file that
does not yet exist. (Modulo and separa-
tion are parameters used in the key
hashing algorithm, described below.)
Pick's editor, called ED, is essential to
the system, but Is horrible to use. It is a
line editor, like the MS-DOS EDLIN
program.
It operates directly on dictionaries and
data items, and is in fact the primary
means of modifying them. It is the single
feature of Pick most glaringly
in need of
or neany so, ___— — — - ~ ^ _.« q
i«
werful
worksheet;-* j . fot
of existing
ate av
.pplicadon templates
immediate use. f
i jba<;f fl w aiffl dtw; r '
p, Accesses teal dBAStu ^^
debase files direc Jj I ^ nrfB ^ Jcs
Usemac r ostodoato^ m(rR i an guage,but
mOtC "3"! «?-f 1jiui«i Mm T rftiaiB
s-ssraas-sjipi
aflame
U«V» ^andtogic
access a*™! *! , Rtes You can
cteatemactosm^a aaQS
WS ecutedoutoUny
needed
id'
and ese
.•11 Pacific-- <
Hamilton.
BJts&Bytes-May198619
GREAT LOOKAUKES
Einstein Lookallke
Lett school Age 9
Works as caretaker in glue factory
Failing Memory
Likes a drink
Maxell Floppy Disk Lookallke
One of several floppy disks on the market
Interior production techniques
Unreliable characteristics
Prone to losing data
Deceptive Appearance
ARE NO SUBSTITUTE FOR THE
GENUINE ARTIOLE
Take floppy disks for instance there are a lot of
them around and they all look like Maxells, but
there's only one MAXELL FLOPPY DISK.
MAXELL are acknowledged experts in the field of
magnetic media because MAGNETIC MEDIA IS ALL
THEY DO.
As a result of their long-standing, technological
experience in this area, their superior know-how
and rigid inspection standards, MAXELL produce
Floppy Disks of an unparalleled performance and
reliability which is widely recognised by computer
manufacturers around the world.
Unfortunately these important distinctions are
sometimes disregarded when choosing a floppy or
floppy disk replacement from the wide selection
available.
As one floppy disk looks much like another, scant
regard is sometimes paid to the type being used
with your equipment. When something goes wrong,
as it always does, your irreplaceable data can be
lost for ever.
Assure yourself of Quality, Durability, Range,
Interchangeability and Capacity. Make sure it's a
genuine MAXELL FLOPPY DISK, not just another
lookalike.
AWA New Zealand Limited
Data Systems Division
Head Office: P.O. Box 50-248 Porirua
AUCKLAND
P.O. Box 1363
(09)760-129
WELLINGTON
P.O. Box 830
(04)851-279
CHRISTCHURCH
P.O. Box 32054
(03)890-449
maXBlL Floppy Disk
AWD 2857
20 Bits S Bytes - May 1986
Multi-users
reform, as it is unacceptable for any seri-
ous word processing.
(Many Pick implementations supply
their own full-screen text editors, but it is
not clear whether they could be used on
dictionaries or files.)
In spite of these deficiencies. Pick, is
easy to get used to.
Efficiency
With the overhead of the dictionaries,
one would expect Pick to run like a limp-
ing dog, but it doesn't.
In fact, the response times of Pick on
an IBM PC/AT with two simultaneous
users are quite acceptable.
Except on a heavily-loaded system,
most people will probably not notice the
extra work that the dictionaries impose.
Pick uses two tricks to speed things up
a bit: disk caching and key hashing.
Disk caching (also calied "demand-
paged virtual memory") is simple in con-
cept, but not trivial to implement well.
Whenever you need to read some-
thing in from a disk, there is always a
chance that you already have it in mem-
ory. Since disk accesses are always one
of the worst bottlenecks in the system, it
is generally worth checking to see
whether the information that the system
seeks is already in memory somewhere.
A disk cache is a set of buffers set
aside for this kind of checking; the trick is
to gain more in efficiency, by avoiding
unnecessary disk accesses, than you
lose through the overhead of checking
the cache all the time.
in Pick, most of the computer's mem-
ory is devoted to disk caching.
In repetitive or frequently- used prog-
rams, the probability of finding a "hit" in
the cache becomes very good.
Key hashing
The other trick, key hashing, is more
problematical.
When Pick needs to store a record on
disk, it does not maintain a key table or
index structure. Instead, it "hashes" the
key (a client's name, for example) into
an arbitrary number, and uses that
number as a pointer to a disk block
where it stores the record.
When it comes time to fetch that
record, the user supplies the client's
name; Pick hashes it into that same
number, and thus knows where to go to
find the record.
As long as you know exactly what
record you wish to find, hashing is the
fastest known method of getting to it.
There are no tables to look up and no
index trees to chase through.
However, hashing also guarantees
that the data within a file will be stored in
a completely random fashion, and if you
want any order out of it at all, you have to
do a sort.
There is also no way to find a record if
you don't know its exact key, except by
scanning through the entire file.
Pick has no "Get-Next" or "Get-Previ-
ous" facilities, since these concepts
have no meaning in a database that has
no order.
Summary
If there is plenty of free space on the
disk, key hashing will work very effi-
ciently; if not too many people are using
the system at once, the overhead of the
dictionaries will not be significant; and if
the programs are not too complex, the
dictionaries and procs will greatly ease
the task of programming, and the lack of
such features as find-on-partial -key will
not be noticed.
For people whose needs fall into this
description, it would be very difficult to
find a multi-user system more flexible
and more functional than Pick. ■
^^^^55^
10 Megabytes/8 Minutes
For IBM-PC™, XT™, AT™ and compatibles
FAST
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Distributed by:
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• Works with PC-DOS® or MS-DOS®
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• Requires a minimum of 1 28K memory
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Bits & Bytes - May 1 986 21
kbacus, n. Device, esp,
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An abacus is one of the
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and an enviable reputation
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No wonder it was
extremely popular in its day,
And contrary to pop-
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microcomputers have an
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But because of society's
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they do break down many people
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This is where Tisco Service
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Tisco started out 25 years
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The contract is tailored to
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TISCO
22 Bits 8 Bytes -May 1986
Software Review
Fast floppy back-up to hard discs
by Peter Biggs
Backing up files on a hard disc on to
floppy discs usually requires 30 floppy
disks and an awful lot of patience and
time.
The DOS utilities are slow and cum-
bersome but it's the best that could be
done unless you bought a tape cartridge
back-up system at a cost of $2000 or
more - the cost of the hard disc itself I
Most users know that to recover from
a hard disc, self-destructing would be a
major effort so the market for a fast and
convenient backup utility has been evi-
dent for some time.
Now it's here - Fastback from 5th
Generation Systems, USA - and said to
incorporate Al techniques.
It can be used for both the XT and AT
systems and backs up and restores files
from a hard disc to floppy dies - fast and
conveniently.
It claims to back up 10 Megs in 8
minutes - a claim that it lives up to.
I received Fastback in a package con-
taining one disc, a small manual and a
couple of promotional brochures.
I inserted the distribution disc and
typed FINSTAL
After answering a number of simple
questions, Fastback was quickly instal-
led on my 1 Meg hard disc in a directory
\ FASTBACK, which is made by the prog-
ram.
Fastback has two main programs -
the backup file called FASTBACK and
the restore file called FREESTORE. In
the CONFIG.SYS file, 'buffers' should
be set to 24.
The manual is clearly written and
adequate although I would like to have
known some ramifications of running the
programs before I started.
Scrunched storage
Typing FASTBACK brings up a
screen that shows, in colour if you have
a colour screen, the total Elapsed Time,
the Operator time (ie time to change
disks) and the DOS Performance.
In this context, this refers to the time
ratio between reading files from the hard
disc to writing them on to the floppy disc.
If this is less than 1 00, reading from the
hard disc is behind writing to the floppy
disc.
Files are saved on the floppy discs in a
'scrunched' form that requires Fastback
to restore them so the back-up discs are
unreadable by DOS.
I could choose to back-up the entire
hard disc or selected directories and
files - as well as only those files which
have changed in a given time. I chose to
back-up the entire hard disc.
It's a race against time as Fastback
formats and writes an entire 360K floppy
disc in about 40 seconds. DOS takes 65
seconds to just format a disc!
Each floppy disc holds 0.45 Mb and I
managed to take about 5 seconds to
change each floppy disc (the manual
says it can be done in about 4 seconds).
FASTBACK:
My hard dis holds 7.6 Mb in 637 files -
Fastback took only 7 minutes to back it
up completely on to 1 7 floppy discs. 90
seconds of this time was taken up with
swopping discs but having two floppy
drives will remove even this time over-
head.
The DOS performance was con-
stantly monitored and only began to suf-
fer when large directories of over 100
files were encountered.
Vital catalogue
Fastback then writes a Disc Catalog .
onto the directory FASTBACK. This
catalog is vital if you wish to restore files
at some time in the future. Copy it onto a
floppy immediately so you don't lose it.
One strange quirk of Fastback is that if
you run it again and ESCape out of it,
this valuable file is deleted from the
directory - without telling you
beforehand. To restore a file then
requires you to hassle with 1 7 discs - not
fun as I learned to my cost.
To get this catalog back again I then
had to run Fastback again and, using the
same discs I used in the first back-up,
back-up the entire hard disc again.
Note that Fastback does not recog-
nise previously written back- up discs so
keep them very separate. The restore
Crogram however does recognise the
ack-up discs.
This catalog is a list of the files on my
hard disc. It can be printed with the
CTRL P then TYPE commands but it
took 24 pages! Why - because it puts
spaces at the end of and between each
line.
I pulled it into PFS-Write and manually
removed the spaces between 600 odd
filenames and saved it again as an ASC
file. It then took only 1 1 pages to print
out!
Whereas the back-up facility is copy
protected by needing the original disc to
start it, the restore program is not. I
would keep this and the catalog file
FASTBACK.CAT on an ordinary disc in
a safe place.
A number of options are available to
restore files, such as singly, by directory,
and only those changed since the last
back-up. All archived files on the hard
disc are reset to 'normal' when backing
up is completed.
The screen for choosing to restore
files is very easy to use. I readily
restored a whole directory of files on to
my hard disc.
Obviously I never reformatted my
hard disc to see whether the entire back-
up worked but I am confident that it
would if it came to this.
Copy protection is the major problem
with Fastback. The distribution disc is
needed to start the back-up and this disc
is copy protected using an unreadable
bad track on track 39.
If this disc is damaged or misplaced,
the hard disc cannot be backed up and a
second disc is not supplied. For an extra
US$25 it seems you can get an unpro-
tected version of the program- with your
name incorporated into it.
The copyright notice as usual has all
the threatening tones common to much
of the current software although this one
has a few extra hectoring touches.
Consumers will eventually decide this
issue by refusing to buy user-unfriendly,
unsuitably copy-protected software.
It also seems Fastback can be instal-
led time and again on to a hard disc but
it will always need the distribution disc to
start the back-up facilitiy. To de-install
the program, simply delete the program
files and then the directory.
Much needed
In conclusion, Fastback is an excel-
lent and much needed utility to back-up
a hard disc- as fast and convenient as is
probably possible.
It requires PC or MS-DOS 2,0 or
higher, 128K of memory and, obviously,
at least one floppy drive.
It works with both XT or AT industry
standard computer systems.
it costs $360 in New Zealand and two
packs of discs will cost around $100 -
$130, so for under $500 your hard disc
can be completely backed up and then
continued to be backed up using only
those files which are new or have been
changed.
Yes, it's good value for money but I
would like to see two key discs for this
price. I consider users deserve this.
Certainly, set against the cost for
recovering lost data and program files in
the event of a hard disc failure, it is well
worth it. ■
The review copy was supplied by Com-
puter Store, in Auckland.
Bits & Bytes- May 1966 23
Let the DSE Multitech and PRO FAX integrated accounting
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Gsran
This is what you get:
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SPECIFICATIONS:
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•RAM:256K
• ROM: 8K for BIOS & diagnostics
32K optional
• Real time clock with battery back-up
» Parallel printer port
• RS232C serial communications port
• Inbuilt speaker
• Joystick port
• MS-DOS 2.11 operating system
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24 Bits & Bytes - May 1 986
**
-%,
*%a
The New Zealand^
Personal
Computer
Exhibition
Overseas Iferminal
Princes Wharf Auckland
8-9-10 May 1986^
PURE
LOGIC
FOR REAL
J»EOPLE
^«N>-
Getting answers from a
computer with the wrong
software is like getting your
teenage daughter off the
phone.
CBA
BU5IME55 PACKAGE
BETTER FOR BU5IME55 - BY ALL ACCOUNTS
Contact: Cowan Bowman Associates,
P.O. Box 26-048, Auckland. Telephone (09) 34 161 for names of authorised dealers near you.
26 Bits & Bytes - May 1 986
ft
Fve said it before, and HI say it again..
It you can bujr any other new
electronic Daisywheel typewriter,
with all these features, at a lower price,
we f ll give you double
the difference! 99 eiffirf
Gooi-go Bright
ifcinfira! Manager Andas Action LUib
The Juki 2200, described internationally as the
"first Electronic Daisywheel Typewriter to smash the price barrier" is now available
again in New Zealand after completely selling out at its first introduction.
Feature-for-feature, no other
electronic typewriter in its class can
match It.
Feature Chart
lake it shopping with you and prove our offer. "No other machine can match it ,
1 — ( ddij^hMli
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JUKI WORLDWIDE SALES
EXCEED $630 MILLION A YEAR!
In the highly-competitive world
of Ja.pa.nese technology, Juki was
recently awarded, the coveted
'Deming Prize' for quality
control.
Juki has been internationally
recognise d for the quality of its
products for over 40 years.
PH844-074
Or send now for the Juki SS00
14 day 'Money-back' trial
Also a Daisywheel Printer
The Juki 2200 comes
complete with a "built-in"
interface (Parallel or Serial
RS232) to connect to your home
or small business computer.
This turns the Juki 2200 into a
true bi-directional 'letter
quality" Daisywheel Printer,
With other machines you can
pay nearly as much as the Juki
2200 for an optional Interface
attachment alone! 1
Why are we doing this?
We're malting you this offer aa a
genuine introduction to our direct
selling service — Andas Action Line
Andas Action Line is backed by
New Zealand's largest and beat known
customer service network — Andas
Engineering — 300 engineers In 17 key
locations — NATIONWIDE!
Andas delivers direct to your home,
business or club within two weeks of
banking your order!
All machines carry a 13 month
guarantee, and the Andas 'Customer
Satisfaction 1 card. All supplies for the
Juki SS00 are available through Andas
Action Line at special low prices.
£&&&m
The Direct Way to Save
ANDAS WHOLESALE
If you can't get to the show, you still
qualify for the special show price S79S
A urn A o ^ mailing this advertis e -
ANDAS ment with your cheque to —
ACTIONLI2STE: Box 6139, Wgtn
Bits & Bytes - May 1 986 27
BBiTES
ASHBY COMPUTER CENTRE
is Auckland's leading COMMODORE BUSINESS SYSTEMS
Dealer. We offer complete system solutions with software
matched to your requirements.
Our staff are qualified professionals who won't baffle you with
jargon, but will assess your needs and advise you without
obligation.
We design and support business applications on the
COMMODORE 64, 128, 610, 720, 8000 and
the IBM compatible COMMODORE PC10 and PC20.
Call phone or write for further information
Hours: Mon-Fri 9.00 -5.30 Sat9.00- 12.30
CMS. 5^ M M = j # / 93 ASHBY AVE.,
gg fj ^=J m f =J*= j ST. HELIERS, AUCKLAND
COM PUTER C ENTI7E LTD TE LEPH O NE : 1 9 ) 56 8- 3 1
Otago Computer Peripherals
OPENS WITH SALE OF —
APPLE PRODUCTS.
EPROM ERASER
NEW
HELLO
We are a new company, but you will be hearing
a lot more from us. All our products are South
Island made. Guaranteed, Rugged, Tough
and reliable.
MONSTERIO CARD
NEW
Our top of the line Input-Output (IO) card.
Sophisticated. Two big motorola chips In ste-
reo. Dp to 40 digital lines. Inputs and outputs
easily controlled and can be mixed In any
configu ration . Elgh t interru pt sources. Coun t-
ing, timing, serial and parallel software all
included, Make your own printer interface etc
Powerful and easy to use with OCP"s IO lan-
guage on disk.
MONSTERIO $149.90
TWO PORTER CARD
High intensity UV light 5afety drawer holds 4
Eproms. Quick, safe.
ERASER $119.90
DOZEN LIN ER CARD HARD UP?
NEW
Twelve IO lines with nearly all the above func-
tion. As used in schools for computer aware-
ness and for robots, printers and synthesis-
ers. Can be up graded to Two Porter.
DOZEN L1KER $99.90
IO LANGUAGE
NEW
Does anyone ever use SH LOAD? We've thrown
it, and other little used commands, away and
replaced them with new Apple soft com-
mands like inr,OUP, ALL1N, SHOW, START, etc.
Easy, powerful, full details given.
IO LANQUAQE free with IO cards.
EPRONMERl
NEW
NEW
Half a monsterio. Twenty IO lines available.
You get the card, 24 pin cable with plugs,
comprehensive manual, specifications and
DOS 3.3. dish with OCrs 10 language. Com
pare with overseas cards.
TWO PORTER $119.90
Top model programs 2716, 2732A. 2732,
2764, 2712S, 27256. Fast algorithm makes
this card speediest around. Lo force socket
Blank check, program, read, verify, and copy,
Qreat for development work, Rom boards,
BBC's etc Batteries supplied. Good manual.
Menu driven.
EFROMMER $119.90
Ask about our pre-production versions. Work
well. Up to 50% off.
GUARANTEE
Two year warranty. All our cards are highest
quality. Professionally designed, etched, sol-
derm asked and soldered. Plated through
holes and pure gold edge connectors. We
supply everything. Cables, manuals, specifi-
cations, batteries, disk. Just open box and
use it "Mainland made. Rugged, tough, relia-
ble."
Send cheque to:—
Otago Computer
Peripherals
P.O. Box 12-007
DUNEDIN
28 Bits 8 Bytes- May 1986
PC 86
PC 86
PC 86
It is a pleasure to welcome visitors and exhibitors alike to PC86. Those who attended or were
involved with last year's exhibition will find there has been considerable development and growth in the
computer industry during the past year, particularly in the personal computer market where networking
and multiuser systems are providing a major focus.
Software and hardware developments have brought the humble personal computer to a position of
power: today the PC is the vital element in any computer installation, large or small.
At PC86 you will see the survivors in the market, the hardware and software which is being aggres-
sively marketed and to which the suppliers are dedicated.
The new technologies have been combined with a user friendliness that was talked about two years
ago but which is a reality today. At PC86 many new products will be displayed and demonstrated. Also,
the new strata of services and consultants which have become an important part of the industry's infra-
structure, will participate.
The keenly awaited Amiga from Commodore, Archives' new Micro Five multiuser PC, Ergo's mul-
tiuser compatible and three preview machines from Olivetti are amongst the highlights of the new
hardware being introduced to the New Zealand market. In the software field there is a new generation
of multiuser software and networking products which will be of interest to visitors.
The new Paradox data management package being launched here by Imagineering is a revolutio-
nary concept which utilises artificial intelligence and which is being lauded as a brilliant new concept
in data management technology.
Whether visitor or exhibitor at PC86 we wish you well and hope you enjoy three days of good busi-
ness, taking the opportunity to learn more about the computer industry, its people and its directions in
New Zealand.
ARCHIVES COMPUTERS N.Z.
LIMITED
1 6 CJonbern Road, Remuera, Auckland
5
(9) 503-548
John Smith
Ivon Duurloo
Gower Smith Managing Director, Arc-
hives Computers Australia
HARDWARE: Archives, multiuser
specialists have chosen PC86 to launch
the Micro Five, a technically sophisti-
cated AT compatible. It has a standard
IBM bus for compatible peripheral cards
and software and is designed specifi-
cally to drive multiuser systems. Sup-
ported by several different multiuser
environments -
PC SLAVE with up to 8 multiprocessor
cards supporting 8 users;
XENIX timeshare with up to 1 6 terminals
sharing 8 megabytes of RAM
iii) NOVELL network with up to 16 PC
workstations per Micro Five Server
SOFTWARE: Range of multi-user busi-
ness and accounting software, currently
available for over 200 different mic-
rocomputers.
ANDAS ACTION LINE
(04) 844-074
George Bright, General Manager
HARDWARE: Juki 2200 electronic
daisywheel; typewriter/printer; Printer
ribbons
BARSON COMPUTERS LTD
1 Ngaire Ave, Newmarket, Auckland
P.O. Box 26287
504-630
Greg Magness, Clive Raines
HARDWARE: Apricot, BBC Tandom
PC and ATs
SOFTWARE: Business Software for the
above range
BEECH EY & UNDERWOOD
373 New North Road
Auckland
(09) 799-800
Bob Meribito
HARDWARE: Sharp range of PCs
SOFTWARE: Range of business pac-
kages.
CANON DATA PRODUCTS
10-14 Como Street Takapuna
PO Box 21 91 Auckland
492176 492 006
Keith Williams, Bruce Courts, Fred
Davenport, Vince Williams, Ken Barry
HARDWARE: Canon AS-300 Business
System, Canon A200 PC Compatible,
Canon TX-50II Retail System, Canon
LBP 80 Laser Beam Printer, Canon IX8
Image Scanner, Canon Peripherals
SOFTWARE: Canobrain II, CanoWriter
II plus Super Canobrain BOS Software
Multiuser Business Systems Canon
Data Products Business Accounting
Systems Canon Data Products Retail
Manager
COMMODORE COMPUTER (N.Z.)
LTD
250 Forrest Hill Road, Forrest Hill
410-9182
Mike Cooch (Marketing) Richard
Thornton (Sales)
HARDWARE: Commodore: C16, Plus
4, C64, C128, PC 1 0/20, Amiga.
SOFTWARE: Home - Business and
Recreation, Education - Home and
School, Business - Small and Medium.
COMPUTER STORE
48 Kitchener Road, Milford
P.O. Box 31 -261
AUCKLAND 9
499-458
Mr E Zimmermann
HARDWARE: Marchant Retail System
Scala Computer
SOFTWARE: Borland Sidekick, Bot-
tomline Capitalist, dB Compiler,
Fastback, GEM Collection, GEM Draw,
PC-Alien, SuperCalc, SuperWriter, Bor-
land Turbo Pascal, Bottomline V,
dBASE, Framework, GEM Desktop,
Micro Focus Cobol, Samna Word Pro-
cessing, SuperProject
NOW
CBA
BUSINESS PACKAGE
AN(J
Cowan Bowman Associates
P.O. Box 26-048
Auckland
Telephone (09) 34 161
Bits S Bytes - May 1 986 29
COMPUMEDIA SYSTEMS LTD
16 Woodson PI, Glenfield
444-6085
HARDWARE: Peter Corkery, Leanne
Warden, Sharon Nilsson
SOFTWARE: Maxell Disks
BSSF Magnetic Tape, precision printer
ribbon, computer paper, AFL Computer
Cleaning Products, Precision Computer
Furniture, other accessories such as
Anti-Glare screen filters and Disk stor-
age/mailing units.
COWAN BOWMAN ASSOCIATES
LTD
P.O. Box 26-048, Auckland
34-161
Vicky McCullough
SOFTWARE: CBA Business Package
DATACOM EQUIPMENT LTD
89 Courtenay Place, P.O. Box 6541,
Wellington
846-189
Craig Wallace, Roger Paaymans &
Glenn Ricketts.
HARDWARE: Impact & Laser Printers,
VDUs, Protocol Converters, Protocol
Interfaces and other Peripheral and
Communications equipment
DICK SMITH ELECTRONICS
Cnr Khyber Pass Rd, Park Rd Newmar-
ket
(09) 504 408
Yann Duran, John Gourley.
HARDWARE: Multitech PC, printers,
monitors.
SOFTWARE: Extensive range, busi-
ness, games and educational packages.
ERGO COMPUTERS LTD
P.O. Box 68-325 Newton
(09) 765-663
Richard Green, Campbell Such,
HARDWARE: Compatible AT/XT
Super AT, Super XT and Turbo. CAO/
CAM, Eve met network.
FARMFAX LTD
P.O. Box 1 1 47, Tauranga, Cnr Spring St
& Cameron Rds Tauranga
IV
YOUR NEXT
'presentation onto a giant
phone m ®*®L
Video Makers —
p.o. Box 4383, Auckland. Video Link
(075) 86670
John Bates, Joe Bray
HARDWARE: HP Sigma Data, Apricot
& Sanyo PC Range
SOFTWARE: Agricultureal and Hor-
ticultural markets.
GENISIS SYSTEMS LTD
47 Station Road Otahuhu
276-7349, 276-361
S. Oswald, M. Weavers, L. Howe, G.
McLennan, D. Goodchild
Hardware: Star Dot Matrix Printers
GRANDSTAND COMPUTERS
LTD
21 Great South Rd, Box 2353, Auckland
504-035
W.R. Fenton, L. Kenyon, Terry Perreau,
Phil Kenyon, Steve Kenyon, Jenny Gur-
teen.
HARDWARE: Amstrad 464 (for the
home), Amstrad 128 (small business),
Amstrad 8256 (office word processor).
SOFTWARE: Full range of games and
business software for Amstrad.
HEWLETT PACKARD <NZ) LTD
Auckland 687-159 Wellington 877 1 99
Dave Holland, Andrew Jackson
PRODUCT: HP 150 Touch Screen PC,
Vectra, Laser Jet Pius, Plotters and
handheld computers.
HI TECH MICRO LTD
91 Custom St East, Auckland.
(09)399 183
Chris Edwards, Russell Sinclair, Phil
Lomax.
HARDWARE: Kaypro, President net-
working system, Accutrack disks.
I MAGI NEE RING
86 Wairau Rd, Takapuna
Private Bag, Takapuna.
444-5088
Paul Dixon (GM), John Cortese (Sales
Manager)
HARDWARE: Hercules, Persyst Intel
PC Boards 3 com.
SOFTWARE: Lotus, Micropro
(Wordstar) Ansa (Paradox), PFS Series
Flight Simulator and many other busi-
ness and entertainment packages.
KMG MICROLAB
80 Greys Ave, Auckland 1
773-470
Grant Furley, Phil Ashton, Brent Hill
Microlab's consulting and advisary ser-
vice will recommend trie most suitable
hardware/software option. Our advice is
not restricted to any particular brand.
We sell our knowledge and experience,
not computers.
MACHINEHEAD COMPUTERS
LTD
51 Symonds St, Auckland 1
P.O. Box 47053
Warren Wilson, Murray Colcough.
HARDWARE: Configure PC and AT
computers to run AUTOCAD.
SOFTWARE: AUTOCAD.
30 Bits S Bytes - May 1 986
ML SYSTEMS
29 Keeling Rd, Henderson.
836 0558
Grant Hackett, Brent Sutton.
SOFTWARE: MLS accounting software
packages for small to large businesses,
including multiuser systems.
MICROPOST SOFTWARE
SUPPLIES LTD
Marac House, 105 The Terrace Wel-
lington.
(04) 736 265
280 Parnell Rd, Auckland.
(09)398 714
Fred Muys, Wendy Falconer.
600 products in range including
software, boards, printers, peripherals.
MOORE PARAGON (NZ) LTD
Bowden Rd, Mt Wellington
(09)578 149
Steve Marshall, Roger Park.
COMPUTER ACCESSORIES: Word
processing, and business printed forms
for all computer printing requirements.
Custom forms our speciality for all
software.
MUSIC HOUSES OF NZ LTD
146/148 Captain Springs Rd, Te
Papapa
640099
Gerard Carr, Roy Muldar.
HARDWARE: YAMAHA CS5M music
computer and associated digital musical
instruments, DX7 T RX11.
SOFTWARE: YAMAHA and Digital
Music Systems. Composing, Sequenc-
ing, voicing (MSX) MSX floppy disc,
prints, etc. Music education software.
NORTHROP INSTRUMENTS &
SYSTEMS LTD
Private Bag, Newmarket.
459 Khyber Pass Rd.
545-065
Peter Mancer, Mark Bennett.
HARDWARE: TEAC disk and tape
drives, tacit printers,
SOFTWARE: KIMTRON terminals, PC
upgrades.
NZPO - Telecommunications
PO Box 292 Wellington
WN 737 625
Gil Tremeuan, Marketing Manager.
HARDWARE: Videotex Service and
Stornet Service.
OLIVETTI NZ
(Toll free line 733-411)
HARDWARE: Olivetti M24, M24SP-
multiuser, M21 luggable, ETB25.
SOFTWARE: AIMS - assurance indus-
try package, Standard industry pac-
kages.
PACIFIC COMPUTERS
Head Office: 60 Ti Rakau Drive,
Pakuranga, Auckland
Mailorders & Postal: P O Box 54-069
Bucklands Beack, Auckland
562-441 Telex: NZ 63500 PARELEC
Maurice Bryham, Peter Parsonage
HARDWARE: 100% IBM PC-XT Com-
patibles; 100% IBM PC-AT Compati-
bles, Networks, Mono & Colour
Monitors; IBM PC Expansion Cards,
Printers, Keyboards, Disk Drives, Hard
Drives, Joysticks, Modems, Cables,
Suppression Devices, Floppy Disks and
Servicing of all IBM PC Compatibles.
SOFTWARE: Microsoft, Paperback,
Lotus, Aston Tate, Borland, Prof ax.
Seminars run weekly on MS-DOS, Mic-
rosoft Windows, Accounting Systems,
Spreadsheets and Wordprocessing.
THE PHOENIX PRINTING CO LTD
P.O. Box 5349, 113-115 Wellesley
Street West, Auckland 1
34-027
R. Church, A. Dawson, K. Hurford, M.
Laycock.
Business forms and Computer Station-
ery, General Printers.
SELCOM BUSINESS SYSTEMS
P.O. Box 51313, Pakuranga
577-199
Peter Banks, Robin Lownes, Warren
Cardino, David Tomlinson.
HARDWARE: Power Tech uninter-
rupted power supplies, Commodore
PCs, Bondwell PCs.
SOFTWARE: Orchard management
programme, Hire Purchase Financial
Package, Charter and Sybiz accounting
packages, Building Contractors' man-
agement systems.
N°2PC,W0RLD-WIDE!
WE ADMIT TO SOME SUGHT SATISFACTION.
Superior performance: "lithe IBM PC is a
Holden, men the Olivetti isa Ferrari,"
- TODAY'S COMPUTERS June 1 985
Beit value: "The most legible screen, the best
graphics and the quietest disc drive. Runs more
than twice as last as the IBM PC ond Compaq PC.
Takes up significantly less desk spoce than the IBM
PC The Olivetti clearly emerges as the best buy"
- PRAC17GU COMPUTING, U.K.
More professional: "With its stunning good
looks, incredible performance and the bock'mg
ofOlivetti-AT&T, this must be the automatic first
choice lor anyone heavily involved in large-
scale number crunching."
— TODAY'S COMPUTERS June 1985.
faster: "The clearest indication came when
we ran our Lotus f -2-3 spreadsheet on the
machine. While the IBM and other 8088
equipped machines completed the test in
about 22 seconds . . . the Olivetti charged
through in jusl over 1 2 seconds, a stunning
confirmation of its superior performance. '
-TODAY'S COMPUTERS June
J 985
Better Ergonomics: "The
Olivetti M24 is a piece of
design whose elegance and
specificity of purpose are an absolute pleasure fo
experience. Here is a machine, built to another
company's standard, but worlds apart in speed,
ergonomics, utility and styling."
- AUSTRALIAN COMPUTING September
1985
Bound for Success: "We would join them
(Olivetti) in expecting tt(M24} to do very well." S\
-TECHNOLOGY REVIEWS VOL 3 Nos 2 /
ond3November 1985. ^
Call your nearest authorised
Olivetti distributor for a full
presentation. Or phone ^ <£°* -c
Olivetti direct an toll X\> > ^
free (04) 7334! 7 y ^^t<P*
orsendthis „ *Tl cP ^ <t*° *V
«»v* i
«P$& I
Bits & Bytes - May 1 986 31
FOR THE VERY BEST IN
FLOPPY DISKS
think \ferbatim
®
WORD PERFECT FOR LIFE
Contact: Verbatim New Zealand Limited
Wellington 858-615
Or: Your Local Computer Store
THE WORLD'S BIGGEST SELLING FLOPPY DISK
\ferbatim. k
Ti
32 Bits & Bytes - May 1 986
txwxwx
SEMINAR
PROGRAMME PC86
AWWWWWWW
THURSDAY MAY 8TH
Session 1 : GST- What's Required
1 0.30am Deloitts Haskins & Sells
Session 2: Small Business & Computing
12,00am KMGMicrolab
Session 15: CAD/CAM and the PC
1 .30pm Warren Wilson, Machine-
head
Session 4: Local Area Networks
2.00pm Tony Dixon, Calibre Group
Ltd
Session 1 0: Useful Software for Small
Business
2.00pm KMG Microiab
Session 5: Multiuser Networks
3.00pm Mark James, Advanced
Management Systems.
FRIDAY MAY 9TH
Session 12: Small Business and
Computing
10.00am KMGMicrolab
Session 3: Videotex - an overview and
introduction
10.30am Janey Co psey, Infos pecs
Session 6: Production farm software
1 1 .00am Dr John Bircham , Decision
Software Ltd
Session 7: Farmers Needs in the
Computer Market
1 .00pm Koss Baars, Ruakura Soil &
Plant Research Stn.
Session 1 1 : Useful Software for the
Small Business
12.00pm KMGMicrolab
Session 8: Stock Accounting
Management
2.30pm Jonathon Hooper, Daisy
Computer Systems
Session 9: Closed User Groups in the
Commercial Environment
3,00pm Tim Edney, Fisher & Paykel
Ltd
SATURDAY MAY 10TH
Education and Computing - A series
divided into 2 parts
PART 1 Directions for the Future -
Stuart Hale
Databases as an information
source - Rosaleen White,
Paul Left
Setting Up Computer Facilities
in a School - Mary Matthews
What USE are Computers In
Schools - Tony Hunt
PART 2 Using Computer Courseware
- Hans Behrends, Graham
Prentice, Colin Marshall
What's Around in Educational
Software - Ms Ann Frampton,
Computer Courseware
Development Unit
Directions for the Future -
John Slane , Department of
Education.
PC POWER
IBM SOFTWARE
IMPORTERS
PC Power has the largest range of software and utilities for IBM PC's and
Compatibles in the country. — // we haven't got it we'll get it
BAKUP 585.00
Black Cauldron 125.00
Chart-Master 945.00
CopyllPC 195.00
dBase Ml .1360.00
Diagram-Master 1295.00
Direc-Tree III 195.00
Dr Halo ..425.00
Executive Presentation Kit 495.00
Flight Simulator Ver 2.1 2 155.00
Framework II 1495.00
Gem Collection 565.00
Gem Draw 595.00
Gem Graph 725.00
Hitchikers Guide to Galaxy 99.95
TheHobbit 115-00
In'A'Vtsion 1495.00
Jet.... 149.95
King's Quest II 149.95
Knowledgeman/2 $1588.75
Lotus1-2-3 Call
Newsroom 225.00
Norton Utilities Ver 3.1 295.00
Open Access 1450.00
PC Mouse 550.00
PC Paint 348.50
Reflex 350.00
Sidekick 195.00
DEALER ENQUIRIES WELCOME
Sideways Ver 3.0 220.00
Sign-Master 695.00
Speedreader II 225.00
Spreadsheet Auditor 395.65
Symphony Call
Timeline Ver 2.0 1395.00
Turbo Lightning 350.00
Turbo Pascal Ver 3.0 205.00
Typi ng Tutor 1 1 1 1 59.95
Volkswriter Deluxe Ver 3 1125.00
VP Planner 259.00
Word B95.00
WordStar 2000 966.00
A.T. I. Training Packages Cat)
STOP PRESS - JAVELIN - $2095
Javelin - voted Software Product of 1 985 by Infowortd - is the very latest financial modelling spreadsheet, graphics, report
writer and database combination. 'Javelin is to 1 -2-3 as 1-2-3 was to Visicab say reviewers. Users benefit because
JAVELIN enables very large and complex applications to be built with an absolute minimum of learning time. Other
advanced features, usually only available as 'add-ons', are all integrated with JAVELIN.
TO ORDER OR FOR
FREE PRICE LIST ON
OUR SEVERAL HUNDREDS
PRODUCTS, CONTACT-
PC POWER LTD
1st Floor, Apex House, Cnr Queens Drive & Laings Rd.
P.O. Box 44-161, Lower Hutt.
Phone (04) 693-050.
Bits & Bytes - May 1 986 33
SOFTWARE ARCHITECTS LTD
25 Davis Crescent, Newmarket
540-055 {5 lines)
Chris Johnson, Mark Ml, Greg Smirk,
Brett Fraser, Nick Paul, Bev Fenemore.
HARDWARE: NEC APC III Mircocom-
puter, Prinwriter series of printers, Spin-
writers series of printers.
SOFTWARE: Sybiz, ASCENT, Charter,
C.B.A., Acclaim, Open Access, Lotus
123, Prism (printers package) plus lots
more.
3M NEW ZEALAND LTD
Cnr Wairau & Archers Rd: P.O. Box
33246 Takapuna
444-4760
N. Foged, D. Barden, A. Keliy
HARDWARE: Computer related static
control systems, diskettes, data car-
tridges, computer tape, cleaning acces-
sories, anti-glare screens, compatibility
information.
TECHNICAL BOOKS (1983) LTD
6 Morrow St, Newmarket
540132
Tim Skinner, Marcella Williams
PRODUCTS: Business computer books
(Lotus, DBase), DOS, CAD, program-
ming for all leading languages, wide
range of Amstrad and IBM PC books.
10% discount to user group members.
THE WHITE KNIGHT LTD
(Subsidiary of Radley Investments Ltd)
194 Gloucester St, Christchurch
(03)797 811
Bob Radley, KMG McAlister, Warren
Janett.
HARDWARE: White Knight PC range
(IBM compatible)
SOFTWARE: Wide range including
business, sharemarket, utilities and
CAD.
Illllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllll
IBM PC $6477
EXZEL $2990
(COMPUTER IMPORTS)
WE BEAT THESE HANDS DOWN!
OUR IBM PC CLONE
"THE WHITE KNIGHT'
JUST $2290
FULL RAHGE OF LOW PRICED OPTIOHS
Get details now!
*DHSGB§
LSLHOEIED
COMPUTER SOLUTIONS
194 Gloucester St
Chrislchurch NZ
PO Box 81 46
Tela* 4586
Phone 797-811
WICKLIFFE PRESS LTD
P.O. Box 5441 Auckland
547-073
Graeme Skelton
PRODUCTS: Stationery software pac-
kages, continuous stationery for all
makes and models of printers.
MEC COMPUTERS LTD
27 Great South Rd
P.O. Box 9224 Auckland 1 .
Selwyn Arrow
Alex Hampton
HARDWARE: Executive Partner,
Panasonic printers.
SOFTWARE: Cashlink accounting.
SOUTH AUCKLAND COMPUT-
ERS
214 Great South Rd, Papakura
(09) 299-6030
Tom Johnson
HARDWARE: Spectravideo SV728
MSX Compatible
SOFTWARE: PANOA Soft software.
Biggest MSX specialists in NZ. ■
"among the best
Apple software
available" -
Bits and Bytes
- Graphics Editor
Spelling Checker
-Twister Plot Story Teller -and
more (for64K Apple). See reviews
in August and September issues
of Bits and Bytes. Get an
order form from your Apple dealer
or write to Box 6186, Dunedin.
otakou software
UMYERSIT!
Specialists in
COMPUTER
BOOKS
Over 1000 titles
in stock
PHCNfc ° a '' vR
, £ ,,S.vB*i:«CARD
SUBSIDIARY OF RADLEY INVESTMENTS LTD
TSE 1000/X2
IBM PC
Hardware and
Software
Compatible!
• 256K RAM
• Twin 360K Disk
Drives
• 8 Expansion
Slots
• Monochrome
Monitor
• 8088 CPU at
4.77 MHz
• Printer Port
• 1 50 Watt Power
Supply
• 12 month
Warranty
oytf$
PC66-PC86-PC86-PC86
These specials and
many more available from
our stand at PC86 . . .
SEEYOU THERE!
STAR
PRINTERS
120 CPS, FRICTION AND
TRACTOR FEED, NLQ MODE
SG-10 $ ]XS^^
SG-15 $ faces.
PACIFIC
34 Bits & Bytes - May 1 986
IdM CUMrATlDLEb
AND PERIPHERALS
rugged -J-**! m** I / 3K&-«SSa2» "*£
necto
:«r*W_
W S5SS-
&s5ssf*£
buttons w«* |
jSAVfi
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*■»'" , nicks I" i" 1
, „ u , valuable WJ^o**
H0,d f SLue Lid-
ckable
£&fee
8^i
0WS «c ere
DISK
DRIVES
Now you can afford a second (or
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amy
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On
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PRINTER
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Connects two printers to one
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HI-RES
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Accepts both
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a:..
COMPUTERS
HEAD OFFICE AND SHOWROOM
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Bits & Bytes - May 1 986 35
A1 28 ACCOUNTING
$599 FOR ALL
THREE MODULES
A fully integrated
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AT YOUR DEALER NOW!
G.S.T. Tfte A128 Software pro-
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DISTRIBUTED BY:
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• Debtors Aged Trial Balance *
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PHOENIX
BUSINESS FORMS
Specialists in
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Carbonless and
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Quality Letterpress and
Colour Offset Printing
Complete Art and Design
Services
The Phoenix Printing Co. Ltd.
113-115 Wellesley Street, Auckland
P.O. Box 5349 Phone 34-027
THE 1986
AUSTRALIAN
SOFTWARE
PROGRAM
OF THE YEAR
Featuring the unique
Intelligent Assistant"
Q & A is the comprehensive
file management solution
you can address in
"plain English".
Q & A provides fullv integrated
word processing and data base
functions in the industry stan-
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With complete flexibility, Q & A
allows more efficient use of
exisiing Lotus 1-2-3, dBase. PFS
and Assistant Series files, but
avoids the problems of teaching
new users to handle complex
command structures,
Arid Q & A sets a new standard
in price/performance. Your soft-
ware is just $690. Dealer en-
quiries welcome.
Cowan Bowman Associates
P.O. Box 26-048
Auckland
Telephone {09} 34 161
New Generation Low
priced ms-DOS software
AITVPIST $235
Word Processing with Real Time
illing Checker Very User Friendly
LIGHTNING $175
Speed Systems OPS by 2-5 Timr-
DESKSET POP-UPS $272
A great selection of Pop-up Tools.
Better than Side Kick
Lots 01 other new releases
Send for our catalogue today 1
*HE]BiJi
ESJOEfflu
COMPUTER SOLUTIONS
194
Glgucesler SI
Chch. NZ
PO Box 8146
Telex 4586
Pn 797-81 1
SUBSIDIARY OF HADLEV INVESTMENTS LTD
36 Bits & Bytes - May 1 9B6
WELLINGTON'S ONLY COMPUTER SPECIALISTS!
•C64 •C128's 9C128D
•Commodore P.C.'s (I.B.M. Compatible)
ALSO: A full range of Software & Peripherals
TT
I I I I I I I I
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MURRAYS
THE TECHNOLOGY
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When your Data Has To Be Good To The Last Byte
Use 3M Data Cartridges
We Have a Full Range Of Mini, High Density
and Standard Data Cartridges
Phone Us To Determine The Compatable Cartridge
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\j*
MAGNETIC MEDIA GROUP
3M New Zealand Ltd. P.O. Box 33246, Takapuna. Ph. (09) 444-4760.
I
julltei
m 55/ea
t
WORD PROCESSOR gappic II+
MAIL MERGE/SORT lie lie
SPELLING CHECKER w****\
ASSEMBLER (6502/65C02)
O Announcing.... FULLTEXT 55/80 version 4.
Now even easier to use, even more powerful.
oNew! TheFulltext integrated Spelling
Checker with 45000 word New Zealand
dictionary. Add up to 7000 of your own.
OThe complete word processing system !
♦ Requires 64K memory, DOS based
^ Gives 55 characters per line on
screen and upper and lower case
even on an Apple ][ + .
J^Uses 80- column card if present lo
give SO characters per line.
^Compatible with \iMHg,/Jc Keyboard.
Compensates lor missing
features ol ]| + keyboard.
^Type-ahead buff or. Preview mode.
Built-in Mailmerge/MaHsort.
Words ort and concordance.
Calculator i
FuHtext 55/80 $125
Spelling Checker upgrade m „ . $ 55
FuHtext with Spelling Checker. . $175
See your Apple dealer or write*
SPACIFIC SOFTWARE
PQBox 8035, Dunedin. Tel 738 396
Jf Al! menu/prompl-line driven using
Key-letters (L for Load. E lor Edit.
F for Find, D for Delete)
^FulJ word processing Edilor.
JjLAIIowjj insertion of any control
characters in text, giving simple
and lull control ol your printer.
^Advanced formatting options: page
number ing , pag e headings t
indentation. justification,
delinitions auto-indenrs/aulo-
numbering ol (sub) sections and
(sub-) paragraphs [1.2. 3. etc
or a| b) c) etc] .
-¥■ Comprehensive 135-page manual
with full descriplions. Disk
includes SELF- TEACH Tile lor fast
learning.
-¥> Simple to learn: powerful to use.
Bits & Bytes - May 1 986 37
LONG LIVE PCs & MULTI-USERS.
With PCs and Multi-user
systems offering unbelievable performance
and technical innovation, at affordable
prices, it's no wonder minicomputers are fast
becoming obsolete. Just check out some of the
features the Archives Micro Five Multi-user system
offers and then decide for yourself.
DOS 3.1
Twice the performance of an equivalent IBM AT system for less cost |see PC
Week review and MicroFive tests).
XENIX
Combined with Kimtron KT5/PC terminals and the Xenix operating system,
the Archives MicroFive delivers more power than top range superminis (see
Byte benchmark}, at a fraction of the costs: 1-16 users available,
NOVELL
Other PCs or standa lone M icroFi ve systems can be con necte d to the Arc h ives
MicroFive as the central server in a local area network |LAN|. Novell
Corporation has endorsed the MicroFive as their top line 286 server offering
up to 1 28 users and 2 Gigabytes of storage in the most sophisticated LAN
available (see Novell test results]. Many otfier LANS are also fully compatible
with the Archives MicroFive.
PC SLAVE
Plug in the PC-Slave and Kimtron KT7 terminal to provide the highest
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MULTI-USER ACCOUNTING SOFTWARE
Combine Archives Software Solutions with MicroFive and you have todays
most powerful true multi-user system to handle all faeits of your business -
debtors, stock, orders, invoices, cash sales, sales analysis, pricing, creditors,
general ledger, sales leads, direct mail, payroll, budgets, wordprocessing and
more.
SEEING IS BELIEVING
Archives is the authorised Australasian distributor of the MicroFive, and are
looking for dealers, OEMs and VARS. We are also seeking dealers for the
Archives Software solutions written in the Dataflex 4tfi Generation
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So come and see us at the PC86 SHOW on Stand and you 'II see
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38 Bits & Bytes - May 1 966
THE MOST POWERFUL
INTEGRATED PACKAGE
IN THE BUSINESS
The most important thing in business is to make sure everybody's talking
DATABASE MANAGEMENT
With the system command in
Lotus 1-2-3 Rel. 2
have Lotus 1-2-3
and WS2000 loaded
simultaneously
WORDPROCESSING ^
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Lotus Graphs your
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TELECOMMUNICATIONS
WS2000 + Tel merge Communications
lets you send your
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The most powerful stand alone package can also be integrated.
WORDPROCESSING, DATABASE, SPREADSHEET, GRAPHICS, COMMUNICATIONS.
distributed in New Zealand
by Imagineering Micro Distributors Ltd.
Available from IBM and IBM compatible dealers throughout
New Zealand, Phone (09) 444-5088 tor nearest dealer in your
locality.
microbee arrives in NZ
Stands 7&8
For 1986 we are proud to
announce a Premium series to
augment our existing range.
The new models offer as
standard all the main features
offered as optional extras on
our standard models. Plus some
new features and an upgrade
in performance.
This shows the graphics
resolution of the new
Premium microbees.
It is possible to display
131,072 individually
controlled pixels.
Of course the Premium models
will cost a little more, but they're
still cheaper than upgrading later.
Briefly you get: Videotex and
colour video as standard; greatly
enhanced graphics capability;
four extra keys for cursor control;
improved video circuitry and a
volume control for the internal
speaker.
These improvements increase
the flexibility of a Modular
Microbee computer and let you
±oose the computer that's right
for you.
Jfjfj) Microbee Systems NZ Ltd
B8 b Rosebank Road, Avondale, Auckland
telephone: (09) 88 1 138 or 88 1 139.
Wellington: P.O. Box 26045 Newlands,
Wellington. Telephone: (04) 785548.
Example: Microbee Modular 128K Computer
Standard
The 128K floppy disk based system
designed for serious home or business
work, "With I28K of user RAM memory it
is compatible with your choice of 5-25-in
or 3-5-in disk drives and comes with an
enhanced CP/M operating system and user
friendly icon menu shell with Telcom
communications programme.
Choose from Microbee^ range of monitors,
printer, modem and world standard
software to build the system that suits you.
Software available includes Wordstar 3-3
Professional Pack, Microsoft Multiplan,
and BASIC.
Premium
The Premium version of the 128K Computer
provides all of the features of the standard
model.
PLUS
• Videotex and colour video inbuilt
• Gready expanded graphics: 131,072 pixels
• Four extra keys for cursor control
• Upgraded colour and keyboard circuitry
• Sound volume control
*Standard model above shown with
economy monochrome monitor
ALL APPLE AND
COMMODORE USERS!
YES MASTER!
it's here...
...the incredible Commodore 64
FINAL CARTRIDGE
• Disk turbo (3-5 times faster)
• Cassette turbo (7-10 times faster)
• "Tookit" commands {auto, renom, old, help)
• New simplified DOS commands
• Additional Basic commands rihtt v C?#Q QR
• Pre defined function keys UnL. r <y>£.UZ7.3U
• Centronics interface (allows non-Commodore
printers to print graphics)
• Hi-res, Lo-res, and multi colour mode, full
page screen dumps
• Machine language monitor, assembler & disassembler
• Allows you to write to an extra 24K of memory
A GRAPHICS MOUSE
FOR THE
COMMODORE 64
SIMPLE! Easy to achieve fine detail. Full hi-res display.
QUICK! High speed paint and fill
VERSATILE .'21 options, 18 fill pattern
CLASSY! Icon driven -just like the big boys
SCHIZOPHRENIC! This mouse operates as a joystick
Your designs can be saved or dumped to printer
$259. 95 INCLUDES TAPE &
DISK SOFTWARE
DISK NOTCHER
Your Voice
is my command'
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I
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• Easy set-up and adjustment to
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picture $89.95
PATRONICS (NZ) LTD., P.O. BOX 5353, AUCKLAND, PHONE: (09) 390-547
Please send me: VOiCEMASTER (Apple/Commodore) $289.95
FINAL CARTRIDGE 259.95
GRAPHICS MOUSE 259.95
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Pascal programming
For beginners and experts
by Bruce Simpson
Pascal: Part I
This month I will be hopefully setting the format for future columns. I am aware
that Bits and Bytes appeals to a very wide range of people, from those who
simply have a passing interest in computers, to those who may have spent
thousands of hours and dollars building up their machines and skills. It is my
intention therefore to try and provide a Tittle bit of value for all concerned.
Each month I shall write on the funda-
mentals of Pascal programming for the
novices plus some more advanced
topics, for those who almost know it all. Tu TOO PaSCal
Cheap start
For those considering taking the
plunge into the fascinating world of per-
sonal computers, the number of rela-
tively low cost micro's capable of run-
ning Pascal is increasing almost daily.
If you intend to get serious about
using Pascal (or any compiled program-
ming language for that matter), make
sure that you get a computer with a disk
drive. Using a cassette tape will drasti-
cally limit your choice of programs (ex-
cept for games) and you will soon get
very tired of the endless hours spent
waiting while information is loaded and
saved.
Any computer you decide upon for
Pascal programming should run either
CP/M, MSDOS, or PCDOS operating
systems. Without any of these operating
systems you will again severly limit your
choices of Pascal compilers.
Some of ■ the available machines
which appear to be ideal for low budget
Pascal programming are:
- AMSTRAD 128k or 256K USING
CP/M plus
- MULTITECH PC from Dick Smith
using MSDOS
- BONDWELL 12 using MSDOS
- BONDWELL 12 using CP/M
-TANDY 1000 using MSDOS
- SANYO MBC550 using MSDOS
There are no doubt many more
brands and models.
The ideal choice of Pascal compiler
for a low budget 'beginners' system
would have to be TURBO PASCAL Ver-
sion 3'.
It should be possible to get started
with computer and compiler for around
$1 ,600 to $2,500, depending on exactly
what and where you purchase.
Just another thought, the new ATARI
520ST should be available in NZ some-
time this year. I have already spent
sometime playing with this machine and
it appears would be an excellent Pascal
machine, provided a decent compiler
becomes available.
Some quick calculations based on the
price differences between US and NZ
prices of other machines would appear
to make the 520ST around $2,500 with
disk, when it finally arrives.
42 Bits & Bytes - May 1 986
As I have said several times before in
this column. Turbo Pascal is the best
value Pascal compiler on the market.
However a word or two is necessary for
those who are considering this as their
next purchase.
Unless you have a 100% IBM com-
patible micro, make sure you try any
copy of version 3.0 on your own compu-
ter before you buy.
Although the IBM PC version of Turbo
2.0 will run on several 'close compati-
bles' (Sanyo 550 series, Tandy 2000,
etc), version 3.0 for the IBM PC may not.
It appears that version 3.0 gains many
of it's spped increases as a result of
bypassing the MSDOS operating sys-
tem. Unfortunately many machines that
are not 100% IBM PC compatible will
demand that the plain vanilla MSDOS
version be used.
The only copies of version 3.0 for 1 6
bit micros 1 have seen so far on the deal-
ers shelves have been for the IBM PC,
so be warned.
By the way, none of the windowing or
graphics commands found on the IBM
PC version will work on a plain MSDOS
version.
Make sure that you shop around when
looking for Turbo Pascal, I have seen it
on sale in one shop for nearly $300,
whilst just across town the very same
product was going for only $1 45.
Well, that's the beginner's taken care
of for another month. Now a little some-
thing for those who have already started
using Pascal.
BCD versus BINARY
Most Pascal compilers allow you the
choice of BCD or binary real numbers
(Turbo uses two different versions of the
compiler). Both types have their advan-
tages.
Binary real numbers have the advan-
tage that they are a very compact
method of storing numbers and they are
very easy for the computer to perform
maths operations upon.
Compilers using Binary reals usually
only need 4 to 6 bytes per variable and
provide a full range of trancendental
functions (sin, cos, etc).
The range of values that can be
expressed is usually very high thanks to
the use of scientific notation.
Binary reals are normally used when a
program needs to perform trig or operate
on a large range of values and where
very small errors are not considered a
problem.
Yes, you read correctly, using binary
real numbers can result in errors even
during the simplest of maths operations.
Try this program to see if your version
of pascal suffers from what are called
'binary representation errors'.
B>test
starting
, 000080008000000000
1 , 000000000 00000E-002
2.00000000000000E-002
3.80000000000000E-002
4.00000000000000E-B02
5.00000000000000E-002
6 . 00000000000000E-002
7 . 00000000000000E-002
8 . 00A00000000000E-002
9 . S0000000000000E-002
1.00000000000000E-001
1.10000000000000E-001
1.20000000000000E-001
1.30000000000000E-001
1.40000000000000E-001
1.58000000000000E-001
1.60000000000000E-001
1 .70930000000000E-001
Program mathtest;
var
rl,r2 : Real;
Beg t n
Wrlteln( 'starting" ) ;
Ri := 0.01;
R2 := 0.0;
whi le r2 < 100.0 Do
Begin
UrLteln(r2:20:18);
R2 :■= R2 +rl
End;
End .
Pascal programming
Don't be surprised if you see some
mighty funny numbers appearing on
your screen. The reason for this is an
inherent defect in the binary method of
storing decimal fractions. As you are
probably aware, there are some frac-
tions that can not be expressed exactly
in decimal form, eg: Ve can only be
expressed approximately in decimal
form as 0.33333333... because the
sequence of threes continues infinitely.
No matter how many threes you add, the
decimal number is never exactly equal
to the fraction Vs.
The same problem occurs when the
computer tries to store adecimal fraction
such as 0.1 in a binary form. No matter
how many digits the computer is capable
of calculating to, the value of the binary
number stored will never be exactly 0.1 ,
Although this error is very small, if you
perform sufficient calculations on the
number, the error will eventually
become large enough to show.
This can become a definite problem if
you are dealing with money, after all a
cent is a decimal fraction of a dollar and
every cent has to be accounted for!
What about BCD real numbers?
BCD real numbers are capable of stor-
ing decimal fractions exactly, without
error. Whenever you write programs that
handle amounts that represent dollar
values it is highly recommended that you
use BCD reals.
Of course nothing is for free in this
world and BCD reals do have their dis-
advantages, These are: the extra stor-
age required as well as slower and more
limited maths capabilities. Few (if any)
Pascal compilers will allow you to per-
form trancendental operations on BCD
real numbers.
The main reason for this is the speed
penalty that is incurred by using BCD
reals.
CBAS1C is the only language I have
ever seen that allows trig functions to be
used with BCD reals and it is both slow
and inaccurate.
BCD reals usually require 1 bytes of
storage compared to 4 to 6 for binary.
This can be important when RAM or disk
space is limited.
Other ways
If your compiler only supports binary
maths and you wish to write a program
that requires calculations involving
money, you can still use it without incur-
ring 'binary representation errors'.
How? Simply treat all money amounts
as whole cents. So $1 .23 becomes 1 23
cents.
Don't forget however that you should
divide all amounts by 100 before dis-
playing or printing. You should also
make sure that only whole numbers are
entered from the keyboard. Although
this may complicate your program
somewhat, it's probably worth it to make
sure that 1 + 1 = 2 at all times.
It looks as if everyone is getting on the
low cost compiler bandwagon.
A new version of the UCSD Pascal
compiler has been released in the US,
Priced at under US$100, it claims to
offer significant advantages over Turbo
Pascal.
MSDS2, a low cost modula2 compiler
is also being marketed in the US with a
special trade-in offer for your old Turbo
disk.
Microsoft is offering a very similar
deal for those wishing to purchase their
new Pascal compiler. It will be interest-
ing to see if this 'new lamps for old' mar-
keting technique works.
I am happy to answer any questions
on Pascal programming (or CP/M and
MSDOS in general) that readers may
have. Also, any small routines, hints,
tips, etc that readers may wish to share
will be gratefully accepted for publica-
tion. -
Bruce Simpson is an analyst/program-
mer with Montek Equipment, in Auck-
land.
I
TU
9SDCHARGEDJ
New Sanyo Advanced
Technology leaves the
competition standing.
THE SANYO
EXECUTIVE AT
TEST DRIVE ONE-
BUT BE QUICK!
Quick, tell me more about the new
Sanyo Executive AT.
Name .
Address -
. Telephone .
I Type of business . .
I Send to : Sa nya B usine 55 5 ystrms . F RE E PO ST 2 002 .
I
PO Box 74-035, Auckland. Phone (09) 505-419.
K
USINESS SrSTEMS
Sanyo computers-Ffcople compatible.
YSRJL^loGGrtSO-'
Bits & Bytes - May 1986 43
Micros at Work
All-in-one accounting software
Logical Methods of Auckland has
recently launched a commercial
accounting package, Prof ax, which has
evolved from a series of software pac-
kages written for the Commodore whilst
bearing resemblance to lAL's Charter
series.
Profax is targeted at the smaller busi-
ness and offers fully integrated Debtors,
Inventory Control, Invoicing, Sales
Analysis, Creditors and General ledger
with a surprisingly high level of flexibility
andfunctionability.
For the business with small volumes
of data, Profax will successfully run on a
twin floppy PC, though with the small
price increment to purchase a hard disk
anyone about to purchase a computer
ought to look seriously at the increased
storage capacity option.
Our review of Profax convinces us
that it is perhaps the leading all-in-one
product, out-performing Cash link and
Accounting One. Its strengths lay in the
following areas:
• All reports can be displayed on the
screen as well as the printer
• Data files can be expanded by the
user
• Ability to handle debtor and inventory
maintenance through invoice entry
• GST is provided for
• Handles flexible customer product
discounting
• General ledger allows This Year,
Budget, Last Year comparisons
FOUR FOR THE
PRICE OF ONE
ARCADE CLASSICS
(Atari, Commodore)
Includes: Mr Do Pole Position
Pacman Dig Dug 939.95
(Disk $52.00 Available Soon)
SOLD A MILLION 11
(Amstrad, Commodore, Spectrum)
Includes: Bruce Lee Matchpolnt Matchday
Knight Lore (Entombed C84) $39.93
(DIsK $52.00 Available Soon)
CRASH SMASHES
(Spectrum C64)
Includes; SpyHunter Dropzone
Night Gunner Thing on a Spring
Dun Darach Who Dare's win 1 1
Aliens Wizards Lair $39.95
OFF THE HOOK
(Spectrum, Commodore)
10 Titles in aid of Drug Rehabilitation. In similar
vein to SO FT AID $29.95
Send Cheque or Postal Order to:
SOFTWARE SUPPLIES (NZ)
P.O. Box 865, Christchurch
TRADE ENQUIRIES WELCOME
• Ability to export Profax data to Lotus,
Wordstar etc.
Prospective purchasers of Profax
should recognise that it is a single
screen MS-DOS solution without an
upgrade option. So long as this is borne
in mind, Profax can offer top software
performance at a very good price.
Sidekick
For those of you that haven't seen
Sidekick or any of the other memory
resident programs that "pop-up" we
suggest you have a look.
We've got Sidekick and it's a fantastic
tool for any PC user.
Sidekick loads when you first fire up
your machine, then sits hidden away in
your PC white you run other programs
like Lotus, or your accounting system or
whatever.
When you want a notepad, or a cal-
culator or a calendar or other similar
goodies just hit two keys and Sidekick
pops upon your screen, over top of your
existing application.
No more rummaging around the desk
- Sidekick Is ready to help you out, like
the Sidekick of cowboy heroes of yes-
teryear.
We find Sidekick's notepad (a mini
version of Wordstar) brilliant when docu-
menting spreadsheets - you can note
down your assumptions as you go, then
print them out at your leisure.
Sidekick is available from many deal-
ers in unprotected and protected ver-
sions.
IBM JX hard disk
There is a dirth of good job costing
software in Auckland, which is surprising
when you consider the number of small
businesses where it would be approp-
riate.
If you are contracting and are still
awaiting the release of suitable
software, bear with us, MicroLab has
made enough noises to ensure this void
will be filled. Await further information in
this column.
Hard disk/streaming tape
devices
There has been considerable
improvement in abilities and price reduc-
tion of units. These allow vastly
increased data storage together with
suitable back-up mediums.
As hard disk capacities have
increased there has been a growing
need for a solution to the traditional
backing up method involving 360KB dis-
kettes.
Shortly we will see a streaming tape
back-up device as a standard element of
a microcomputer where large disk
capacity is required. In fact some man-
ufacturers have produced a slimline unit
that will fit inside your standard PC box.
For under $5,000 there Is an external
25MB hard disk with 20MB back-up
device available now.
Back-up duration will be cut by two -
thirds.
Roll-on new technology and let us see
the end of 360KB diskette back-up, so
that our over-worked operators can get
home in time for tea."
At last we hear IBM have announced a
hard disk option for their JX,
What It means Is that the JX has '" ">« regular column we keep the
become a potential solution for the small business person in touch with develop-
to medium size business running pac- ments in the microcomputer industry.
kaged accounting software. Tne research reports are from Phil
Be aware though that the JX is not Ashton and Grant Furley at MicroLab, a
100% IBM PC compatible. "neutral' d.p. consultancy established
Last we heard on price was in the reg- by the accountancy KMG Kendons, in
ion of $7,300 for 10 MB and 256 RAM. Auckland.
Availability ... IBM hasn't said but we
would expect to see something within 4 »»'»m«.»mmm.»»^»'»»m
to 6 weeks.
^ "^t ^k Tfc ^t ^t ^t *^t ^^ ^t ^^ ^t "^t ^t Ifc ^t ^
Job costing/estimating
We have had many enquiries from ^^VWWWWWVW>
contractors for an estimating/job costing
package that will allow integration from a
creditors system and report on Quan-
tities and Value vs Estimate. Do you —^ __ ■%.-%. ■^.■%.-%.-^ t 1 *.'*.-:*.-*.^
think we can find any product! W\\\\\\\\\\\\\\V
44 Bits & Bytes - May 1 986
Insider's comment
Going for business market
by Mike Cooch,
Marketing Manager
Commodore Computer NZ Ltd
Probably the first thing someone
would say. if asked "What do you know
about Commodore, the computer com-
pany", would be - they're big in home
computers.
And that's absolutely right. But there's
more to Commodore than that. Commo-
dore is a business computer company,
now more than ever.
While there is some debate about who
was first in the computer race, it is clear
that Steve Jobs and Steve Wozniak of
Apple and Chuck Peddle of Commodore
were all concocting explosive materials
in garages at about the same time.
Commodore introduced an 8K com-
puter with built-in screen and datasette
in 1977 as the world's first self-con-
tained personal computer.
Within four years, that decision had
been justified as computer sales quickly
became Commodore's major source of
revenue, no small change bearing in
mind that Commodore had been
involved in manufacturing and market-
ing consumer products such as watches
and calculators, office equipment and
electronic components through its MOS
Technology Subsidiary (developers of
the 6502 CPU chip subsequently used
by both Apple and Commodore) since its
formation in 1 958.
Squared off
During 1980 and 1981, Commodore's
direction became firmly focussed on
business system solutions with the intro-
duction of the Commodore 4000 and
8000 systems.
Commodore had squared off against
Apple for a share of this business mar-
ket. In the U.S., Apple were a much more
effective marketing unit, understanding
that the key to success was distribution
and effective marketing.
Commodore had an excellent product
without doubt, but the wrong marketing
approach for the US market. In Europe
Commodore sensed the real potential of
the business market and rapidly became
the number one small business compu-
ter supplier in Europe.
Computer system sales had
catapulted from 49% of total revenue in
1979to76%in1981.
Commodore's philosophy was to
become vertically integrated.
The concept of vertical integration
meant that just about every important
part contained in a Commodore mic-
rocomputer, beginning with the
semiconductor integrated circuits and
ending with the cabinets in which the
entire computer mechanism is housed,
was designed and built by Commodore.
This means that present and future
needs for critical components can be
matched with an assured and competi-
tive supply.
By designing its own chips, designs
could be tailored to the specific needs of
the company's products to provide
optimum trade-offs between perfor-
mance and cost.
And finally, this structure provided effi-
cient communication between design
and production, thus reducing time from
concept to final product.
By 1 982 in New Zealand, Commodore
had achieved a real presence with 20%
of the unit installed base for business
computers.
Branch became tree
But an idea in the early 1980s was to
change Commodore's direction. A col-
our computer for under US$300. Impos-
sible, inconceivable. Commodore had
decided to maintain its momemtum in
the small business market and to branch
into the home computer business.
That branch rapidly became the tree
as the phenomenon of the VIC-20 began
a whole new way of thinking.
The success of this unit caused a
wave of entrants into this market and
venture capitalists clearly saw the
opportunities of the home industry.
The VIC 20's successor, the Commo-
dore 64 was an instant winner in the
home and education markets, and while
Commodore was still selling business
systems, its emphasis was in the mass
market.
Meanwhile, Apple was moving up-
market. On the heels of the Apple II
came the Apple III and the Lisa.
While for various reasons these eleg-
ant products were not highly successful,
they did establish Apple's direction in
the business and professional markets.
During this period, another phenome-
non occurred which placed pressure on
Apple, but from which the bulk of Com-
modore sales was protected - the IBM
PC,
Suddenly it had to be 16 bit and MS-
DOS.
A standard was created which looks to
be firmly entrenched, if for no other
reason than the vast software base
established.
Over a four year period , the IBM stan-
dard induced a large number of
hardware companies to produce com-
patibles, some with faster clock speeds,
some with colour graphics as standard,
some with more memory than others,
but all dutifully retaining varying degrees
of compatibility.
It has to be said that even though all
compatibles are equal, some are more
equal than others.
Re-entry
It was during 1 985 that Commodore
Business Machines took the decision to
re-enter the business market aggres-
sively with the German designed and
manufactured Commodore PC-10 and
PC-20 capable of fully emulating the
IBM PC.
Later in 1985, Commodore introduced
two new products, the Commodore 128
and the commodore Amiga.
It is clearly evident that these systems
challenge the Appfe II Series and the
Mac - so the wheel has turned full circle.
Apple and Commodore are set to
square off yet again.
So after pursuing a different strategy
for some years, its major competitor in
1981 will again become one of its major
competitors.
This year Commodore will deliver an
IBM PC AT compatible which will act as
file server for the PC's in the growing
networking market.
The way the networking and muiti-
user micros are developing and estab-
lishing themselves as effective and
economic solutions, the job of selling
conventional {and in many ways old-
fasioned) mini-computers will be neither
enviable nor profitable.
The future for Commodore?
Times have been tough recently but
new paths are set and the company's
future is solid.
Commodore will continue as a price
performance leader, taking advantage
of its base of high techology and vertical
integration, in both home and small bus-
iness markets. ■
If its news. . .
ring
Steven Searle,
796-775
Bits & Bytes - May 1 986 45
IBM
"Psycho-Killer, Q'est que c'est?"
by Richard Gorham
First-up this month is a look at a prog-
ram that had me quivering with anticipa-
tion when I first read about it in overseas
advertising blurbs.
"MIND PROBER" from self-profes-
sed expert systems experts, Human
Edge Software Corp., boldly claims to
allow you to "...probe a person's mind".
Hmmm. Shades of Dr Frankenstein.
Alas, when I received the program for
review recently, it was not accompanied
by electrodes attached to large copper
cables terminated by RS-232C plugs.
Sadly there were no leather straps to tie
the unwitting candidate down with, and
in fact there wasn't even your common
old garden kite to attract the boundless
static charges lurking around my colour
monitor and divert them to our local
parking ticket dispenser.
Aha, I thought in a blinding flash of
intuition, perhaps there is more to this
than meets the eye. And clutching the
slim paperback accompanying the solit-
ary diskette (available for most comon
PCs and costing a mere $167, i hurriedly
kicked my trusty PC-G into life.
In the twinkling of an eye (I kid you
not), I had psychoanalysed all my
acquaintances, friends, enemies, and
favourite Coronation Street per-
sonalities.
Here is a message to all those
aforementioned people.
Don't do it. Yes folks, in the true vein of
other brilliant US inventions like the port-
able lie-detector that connects to your
phone, the hidden wireless mic-
rophones that one can scatter liberally
around business acquaintances'
offices, and even the "moles" deviously
hidden deep in your competitor's organi-
sation, we have here an even more pow-
erful weapon with which to wage the
daily war on the business front.
It is in fact something that Marvel
Comics have been working on for years
- the means to read other people's
minds.
Better than a 1950's advert for the
Charles Atlas bull worker, this little gem
lets you anticipate when 300lb bullies
are about to kick sand in your face (you
can now easily overpower them with
your obvious mental prowess).
Let's hope Big Brother doesn't get any
copies of this program, for this is an
absolutely foolproof method of reading
other peoples minds, and surely only a
hop skip and a jump away from being
able to control their minds too.
On the other hand, perhaps we should
all chip in and buy a copy each for
Reagan and Gorbachev for Christmas -
perhaps by allowing each other to know
what the other is really thinking it might
just play a part in preventing one of those
little personality conflicts.
Then again, and on the whole,
perhaps it wou Id be a good thing to distri-
bute "Mind Prober" liberally in enemy
camps,, did you say something about
my lack of purpose/positiveness/direct-
ness?
IBM's-at-it-again!
Another good candidate for Mind
Prober would ppear to be IBM's market-
ing departments).
Recent rumours on the "grapevine"
have it that a new IBM PC is imminent.
All the signs are there...
From the carefully phrased "denials"
from your local IBM rep to the triumphant
crowing from PC compatible manufac-
turers in Taiwanaland ("more compati-
ble than the yet-to-be-released IBM ZZ
itself").
This time it appears that IBM's Porta-
ble Personal Computer (aka PPC) is
being let out to pastures green.
All par for the course, you might well
say.
However, unprecedented price cut-
ting of existing stocks has this time
h eral ded the po rtentous eve nt - re ce nt ly
IBM announded to it's dealers that the
recommended retail price of the PPC
should be $2995, down from $4800.
A bargain if ever I saw one. But one
that would probably not impress Joe
Farmer, wilting under the onslaught of
Rogernomics, who had the day before
paid a scant 60% more than if he'd
waited 24 hours longer.
Plug-in IBM upgrade
Plus Corporation, a subsidiary of
Quantum Corporation, has introduced
HardCard — the first hard disk on an
IBM plug-in board — which effectively
upgrades an IBM PC or PC terminal to
the performance of an IBM XT.
It allows companies to achieve the
productivity gain hard disks make possi-
ble, without losing their current invest-
ment in PCs.
HardCard consists of a 1 Mbyte disk
drive with electronics, controllers, file
management and installation software,
all on a plug-in card. It can be installed
directly into an IBM PC expansion slot.
In any case the replacement of the
PPC by an allegedly "excellent" lap-top
will be eagerly awaited.
IBM has watched the developments in
this area of the market in much the same
way as it did with the original PC - hope-
fully it will have profited by other com-
panies' mistakes and release the basis
of a truly portable but practical personal
computer.
Scanner
transmits
directly to
screen
Omni-Reader is a character reader
that transfers data from a typed page
into a computer at a rate of two to three
seconds per line — more than twice the
speed of a competent word processor
operator.
The system works by passing a light
sensitive linear array, called a reading
head, across a line of text. As each line
of text is scanned, it is displayed on the
vdu.
It can be programmed to retain the for-
mat of data, particularly where tables of
figures are being 'read .
Omni-Reader won the award for the
best British innovation of the year,
awarded by the Sunday Times national
newspaper. It is manufactured in the UK
by Oberon International Ltd.
46 Bits & Bytes- May 1986
When you want speed & quality
we don't look down our noses!
Genisis announce the ARRIVAL of the New NX-1 0. The new technology printer
of the STAR dot matrix range.
EASY FRONT PANEL OPERATION
No more tumbling with dip switches to change modes and
functions With the NX- 10. you simply touch a button on the control
panel to selecl the typeface and punt pitch, or to print in either
draft or near- letter-quality mode You can even set margins and
align forms.
Only with the Star NX- 10
AUTO PAPER FEED
It only takes a flip of the paper release lever to automatically feed
single sheets info the NX-10. They'll be in position and ready for
printing. Cut Sheet Feeder Available.
OUTSTANDING PRINT QUALITY
Nothing beats th e Stor NX - 1 0'$ prec i se 30 C p$ nea r- lefter-qu a I i ty
printing or its superb draft Quality printing at 120 cps
buy die best.
JL
Distributed by:
Genisis S/stems Ltd..
47 Station Rd. Otahuhu.
Ph.276-73d9.276yS361
.0. Box 6256. Aucklard
Distributed in Australia by:
Genisis Systems Pry Ltd..
26 Norton Street.
Leichhordt 20*. N.SW.
Australia. AA 73S72 (GENSIS)
Bits & Bytes -May 1986 47
Spectravideo
Sprite animator
by B.A. Bridger
One of the pleasures of programming
a Spectravideo is the ease with which
sprites may be moved around the
screen and collisions detected.
This program, by Laurence Hodson,
makes designing sprites very easy. The
calculations are all done for you and
once a sprite has been constructed it
can be rotated and atso mirror images
formed.
If you have designed a number of
sprites with the idea of having an ani-
mated figure then the sprites can be dis-
played in sequence to give an indication
of how the animation will look in your
program.
The instructions are detailed and easy
to follow but if you have difficulty there is
an option to have the designing process
demonstrated on screen.
Sprites may be saved to tape and
loaded back in for redesigning or incor-
poration in your program.
The screen layout is excellent. There
can be a lot of information on screen
Graph Presenter
This is an excellent program for dis-
playing data In various forms - histog-
ram, bar diagram, line diagram, pie
chart.
{Data is entered from the keyboard ini-
tially and then can be stored on and
retrieved from tape or disk. Changes can
be made as required to data or head-
ings.
The picture can be saved and/or
printed.
I have not found an upper limit to the
number of points which may be plotted
but above about 15 the graph starts to
look crammed. Up to 4 comparisons
may be made within each item plotted.
The instructions supplied with the
program are detailed and comprehen-
sive and necessary for the first couple of
runs through data entry.
Two of the not so good features are
that the last line of a graph is not printed
until eitherthe next picture is asked for or
an LP Ri NT command is given after end-
ing the program and also, after plotting a
graph on screen and deciding to print it
the graph has to be plotted again before
it can be printed.
The programm is available for a
SV328 or a SV318 with 16/64K expan-
sion and also for a 64K MSX System.
Costs $24.95, from Action Computers.
simultaneously - the current sprite, the
number and colour of the current sprite,
sprite data and list of options - available
but the screen has ann uncluttered and
professional appearance.
Versions are available for SV-328,
expanded SV-31 8, and 64K MSX com-
puters, and are from Action Computers,
A few people have asked how to eas-
ily create sprites which are identical to
the characters in the compute character
set. it's quite simple, provided you know
where in rom the character set resides.
Here's how it's done.
10 SCREEN 1
20FORI=&H4198TO&H4550STEP8
30 FORJ=ITOI+7
40 A$=A$+CHR$(PEEK(J) )
50 NEXT
60SPRITE$(1) = A$
70 PUT SPRITE 1,(1 28,96), 7,1
80A$=INPUT${1):A$=""
90 NEXT
The SVI character set is from 41 98h to
4550h in rom. Each character takes 8
bytes, each byte corresponding to one of
the 8 rows required to build the lull
Gri3r3GtGr
For MSX change the 4198 to 1BBF,
the 4550 to 23B7, and the SCREEN 1 to
SCREEN 2. The program will show
every character on screen as a sprite, 1
at a time.
SEKONIC
XY
• 6 colour automatic pen change
• On board Centronics interface
• 200mm/sec axial pen speed
• 0.1 mm step size
• 8 directional position keys
• 24 stored plotting commands
• RS 232C & I EEE488 interface adaptors available n
SPL-400: an extremely competitively priced digital X-Y plotter for the
home enthusiast, draughtsperson or the latest in C.A.D. systems.
SOLE NEW ZEALAND AGENT
DEALER ENQUIRIES WELCOME
EC, Gough Ltd
Auckland: Phone 763 174
Wellington: Phone 686-675
Christchurch: Phone 798 740
Dunedin: Phone 775-823
E C GOUGH
ELECTRONICS & INSTRUMENTATION DIVISION
48 Bits & Bytes -May 1986
Machine Language
More keywords to stretch Basic
In the two previous D-l-Y articles, the
operating system and keywords were
discussed.
In this third article, more keywords
and routines are covered, mainly sprite
related.
If you've done as I suggested last
issue, you'li have made a memory map
of the overall system you're going to
use. This is advisable because you can
then use only the words you need for
perhaps a particular program.
Eventually, you could finish up with
several versions of the extended BASIC,
each with an ad hoc application.
To that end, I'll present the routines,
and leave it to you to use them, or not,
with the operating system.
Remember that the routine addresses
I use may not necessarily correspond to
the addresses you'd use, i.e. if only
some of the routines are implemented,
ideally the extended BASIC you make
up would be put into as little memory as
possible.
So, if I show a routine at $C600, and
you choose not to enter any other
routines, the $C600 routine should be
moved down to $C420.
Keep an eye on absolute addressing.
All keywords are being shown in their
source code format, so that a) they can
be typed into memory directly, b) they
can more easily be relocated, and c)
they are more understandable.
If you decide to use a bunch of these
routines, the error branches can point to
a common LDA/JMP, thus cutting 5
bytes off the routine length.
The error message is always
ILLEGAL SPRITE ERROR, enough to
let you know that there Is something
wrong with the statement.
There is an economic method of error
indexing, which offers the choice of two
messages. Say a routine could have two
sources of error, like many of the
routines below, and depending on the
error, message #4 or #5 should be cal-
led up.
The uneconomic way would be as
Routine 1 .
An alternative is as Routine 2, Note
that the BCS in Routine 2 appears to
jump into the middle of an instruction. It
actually lands on LDA#$05.
If message 4 is called, the BIT$05A9
after LDA#$04 merely does a non-
destructive test of bit 6 of $05A9.
For the sake of simplicity, only an
ILLEGAL SPRITE message is used in
the sprite commands.
For all of the routines, the error checks
could be left out, speeding up the
keyword execution. You'd need to
ensure that all statements were legal -
not difftclut for a reasonably good prog-
rammer.
Some of the commands can produce
misleading error messages in FOR-
NEXT loops in one line. If they do,
spread the loop on to 2 or 3 lines.
Another peculiarity, found in some
other extended BASICS, is the need for a
colon after THEN, eg
IFA=1THEN:SCOL6,14.
The three examples show the speeds
of different writing styles. Take note all
those people who don't use variables!
Admittedly (1) is marginally faster than
(2), but (2) has the advantage of being
more readable, which is helpful for
debugging. It also uses less BASIC
memory space.
If the loop is enlarged to contain more
statements, conventional BASIC
becomes comparatively slower.
Example {3) is a very inefficient, but
common, programming style.
D-l-Y BASIC -
Part Three
Routine
OOOO CMP#*00 t
0O02 BNE*0O09 in
0004 CFX*¥OB [
0006 BCfifOOOE tn
0008 RT9 i
0009 LDA**Ofl ;
OOOB JMP*ERRQR |
00 OE LDHWJ05 I
0010 JMP*ERRDR %
Routlrr Z -
0000 CMPMOO \
0002 ENE*0009 tn
0004 CFX#*OB j
0006 SCS*CO0C tn
0006 RTB j
0009 LDfttt*04 t
OOOB BITJC5A9 f
OOOE JMPtERROR |
BPVi T y
BCOLl ,y
SPXi/DEXi
ePYi/OEYi
PAGEi ,y
position spritsi at vertical y
spr"l t bi , colour/
spri tal H sup and/ Linen p*nd
■ pritfll Y **i-:p-*rid,' unen p*nd
pointlri,y te.4 PQKE2040 T i92 etc)
C*FD JSft*B7EB
C50O CLC
CSOl LDfiUS
C503 CMPMOO
C503 S«E*C3l4
C507 L0A»1*
C509 CtlPMOBJ
C50B BFLJC514
C50D A5L
CHOE TAV
D5QP TJtfl
evaluate
t
|t«»t for
ty > 233
firror
:teat for
ii > e
j error
t double i nde.!.:
C510 STA*DQ01 ,Yi
C5l3 RTS |
C514 LDAit*04 1 ILLEGAL SPRITE
C516 JMP*C2F0 i
BCQL1
C519 J5RVB7EB
C51C CLC
C51D CMF*)*O0
C51F BNE*C52D
C521 LDAt]4
C523 CMP«*08
C32S BPLJC52D
CS27 TflV
C32B T* A
C329 5TA*D027,
C52C RTS
C52D LDA*t*04
C52F JrtP*C2FO
SPXi
C53fl J^RSADBA
C53D J5ft*B7F7
i evaluate
(
jtajBt caloLir>255
I error
l test -far
I ILLEGAL SPRITE
C540 CMPdroO
C542 BN£*C553
caw clc
C545 CPY«*09
C547 BCS*C553 terror
C549 LDA*C55S t V] got mask
C51C GRAtDOlD is#t bit
CS4F STA*D01D \
C332 RTS 5
C352 LDA*t*04 ;
C555 JMP*C2F0 |
C55G 01 02/04 OS 10 20 40 BO
ft* per SPK, using *DD17 instead
Df *D01D.
■-Xi
C580 JSR*ADBA ^evaluate
C503 JSRSB7F7 %
C58£. CrtP#*O0 :
C5BB 6N£$C599 %
C5BA CLC i
C5BB CPYK*09 ?
C5SD BC5*C599 ;
C5BF LD^*C59E, V;get mask
C592 AND*DCHD fcjfiar bit
C595 5TA$DQ1D ;
C593 RTS ;
C599 LDAtt*C4 ;
C59B JMP$C2FQ ;
C59£ FE FD FB F7 EF DF BF
7F
DEYi_
As per DEX, using $DG1D instead
ai *D017-
PAGEj
.v
CSBO
JSR*B7E7
; eval Liate
C5B3
CLC
1
C5B4
CMP#*00
| test y
CSBi
BNE*C5C4
;
C5BB
LDft*14
1
C39ft
CMP##OB
; test i
C3BC
BPL*C5C4
1
C5BE
TftY
I execute
CSBF
TXO
1
C5C0
STfi*07f8,
V)
C5C3
RTS
i
C3C4
LDA#*04
CSCi,
JMP*C2F0
1
eH«mDl» li time
-16B Jl-f-fl
10 W»5324Bl Vl-53249iPOKEV+32,0
20 FDKIV+33,0iP0KEV+21 , 1
30 PQK6U*3 < ? 1 l[F0Key+23, 1 1 PDKEy+29 , 1
40 Tl*»"00O0O.0"
50 F0RI-32TD233
60 POKEW,IlP0KEVl,I
70 NEXT
90 F0RI-255TO32STEP-1
90 PDKE^.IlPOKEVl , I
100 NEXTiPRINTTI
Example 2 :tiffnj!=17A ji#*-i«?S
10 BDRO:BCKOsSENl
20 SCOL.0,1
30 SPXOlSPYO! A'l!TI*="000000"
40 F0PI-32TD2S*
SO SPHO, 3:SPV0, I
60 NEXT
70 F0RI-235TD32STEP-1
BO SPHO , I : BPVO , I
90 NEXTcPRINTTI
Example 3 : t i me=44S ji f *ios
10 PQKE532a0,O:PDKE532Bl,0
20 PQKE53269,1:P0KE53271, 1
30 P0KE53277,l:POKE532S7,l
40 Tr*=" 000000"
SO FORI=32T02S5
60 P0KE53248, 1:P0KE53249, I
70 NEXT
80 FQRI=255TD32STEP-1
90 P0KES324B , I : PDKES3249 , I
100 NEXT:PRINTTI ■
Bits & Bytes - May 1 986 49
Commodore
Some notes on Riteman C+
by Joe Colquitt
The Riteman C+ is a versatile, inex-
pensive, Commodore compatible
printer. It was for these reasons that I
changed to it from my Commodore
MPS802.
Although the manual is quite com-
prehensive, there are a few things that
could bear explaining.
Before I go on, I'd like to apologise for
a mix-up in the October article concern-
ing the User Port lines. Port B is 56577,
and its I/O register is 56579.
if a bit in 56579 is on, the correspond-
ing bit in 56577 is set as an output So,
for example, POKE56579, 129 sets PBO
and PB7 as output lines, and PB1-PB6
as input lines, which can be read by
PEEK(56577).
The first thing that interested me
about the C+ was that the printer has
such a large buffer for holding re-defined
data for bit-mapped printing.
If you saw my October article on bit-
mapping for the MPS802, you'll recall
that it was quite a large chunk of
machine-code. This is primarily because
the 802 has only an 8-byte buffer for user
graphics, and the MC is needed for
speedy transfer of data from computer to
printer.
Not so with the C+.
Although a little MC is required to
rotate the bitmap characters, the printer
can store enough data to print a 40
character bitmap line, at an acceptable
speed, in BASIC.
The MC, reproduced below, is not
relocatable, as it is self-modifying, but it
should be out of the way at $CO0O
(49152).
To print a bitmapped screen, first the
bitmap must be at $6000 (24576). If the
particular screen you want to print is
somewhere else, just use a FOR.. NEXT
loop to move it, eg if it was at 81 92, use:
FORI = 0T07999:POKE24576 + 1 ,PEE
K(8192+I):NEXT
Next put the C+ into PLUS mode, ie
DIP switch 2 off, switch 3 on. Load the
output program and RUN.
Output program 2 can be used for
printing a screen of redefined charac-
ters, whose data is between 12288 and
16384. Draw or load the screen into
1 024-2023 and run the program.
It calls a routine in BM ML which con-
verts the redefined screen to a bitmap
screen at 24576 and then outputs it to
the printer.
Word processing
The second point worth noting is
word-processing on the C+ using
Easy script.
Normally, this program on Commo-
dore settings will not produce
enchanced scripts, such as 1 32 column
printing, double-width, italics etc.
Using Easy script in Serial Epson
mode will make these features availa-
ble.
Load EASYSCRIPT and set switch 2
off, switch 3 on. When answering the
introductory prompts for Easyscript,
Print Shop
by Andrew Mitchell
It reaiiy turns you computer -and
printer into an extremely useful combi-
nation.
There are six majorchoices:
Greeting Card — the option to make a
'french-fold* card for any special occa- ;
sion , You choose the border, the graphic
picture and its size, the layout of that
graphic, amessage and the styleof print
all for the front. Then you repeat the pro-
cess for the inside of the card- There is
also an option tp print ready-made
cards.
Sign — this is a full page notice which
oniy your imagination will limit. Again 1 "
you choose the border, use of graphics,: ::■
message and -style of print.
Letterhead— r again the variations are:
almost limitless.
Banner ~- This prints your message
lengthways a|ong : your paper. It- bah Be
used very effectively, along: with:
graphics; but beware, it uses your paper ,.
supply very rapidly, :
Screen Magic — This is a bit: of a fun
section; but could still: have its serfus
side, The programme generates a.- ;
kaleidoscope pattern (theb ; are12ir>alj)
which 1 can be frozen at any point. You
can then add text and printine: result.
: Graphic Editor^ allows you to create
yourown graphics: or modify any Of the"
60 graphics held by the programme. It is
these graphics that you use when work*
ing on the previous dptlbris, so : your
selection is very wide.
-■ When Print Shop first :arrived for the
Apple it was hailed as- 'the' programme
for schools. They could customise theirs
correspondence and. make Interesting
posters for various school functions, e
This programme, at $99.50, is excel-
lent value for money and (can foresee it
becoming a big seller, especially as I
guess there will be a special price for
schooisand even some businesses.: Qn
disc only.
enter '1 ' for printer type, and : S' for inter-
face type. If you have an original copy of
Easyscript, you'll find an MX80 file on
side 1 of the disk (remember you can clip
side 2 and use it). This contains most of
the information below.
Function On Off
Enhanced f1 [ f1 ]
Emphasized f1 ( f 1 )
Underlined f1 ; f1 :
Double print f1 & f 1 %
Condensed fK 11 >
Italics fl 4 MS
Superscriptsfl ' per ss character
Subscripts f 1 , per ss character
eg10" 3 wastypedas10f1 '-fl '311 %
eg H 2 was typed as H f1 , 2 f1 %
The f1 % is to turn off double print
mode, which, by some quirk, is turned on
by super/subscript mode. If you don't do
this, all printing after a ss will be darker.
NLQ mode
I've had a few enquiries about NLQ
mode and Easyscript. Apparently if you
had bought an earlier C+ and later had
NLQ fitted, it was difficult finding out how
to access NLQ.
The NLQ manual provides several
clues with regard to escape codes, and
these just need to be put into Easyscript
as Format codes.
Using these codes, all fonts and
modes are accessible.
Many thanks to Richard Doull for
pointing out the similarity between
Easyscript and Speedscript, which put
me on the right track. These format
instructions are to be used in Epson
mode, as for the previous examples.
Page 8-10 of the ES manual and page
3-52 of the NLQ addendum are the link.
Section 8.2. 1 1 .2 describes the use of
special characters, and here is how to
use them to turn NLQ on/off in Easys-
cript.
First, define your special characters at
the start of your document, like this:
F3 0=27:1 =88:2=0:3=1 [return] (88
is the ASCII for X)
When you want to print a section in
NLQ, preface it with:
F1 F1 1 F1 3 (ie CHR$(27); "X";
cHR$(1))
To turn NLQ off, use:
F1 0F1 1 F1 2(ieCHR$(27);"X";CHR
${0))
By using this logic, any escape code in
the PLUS mode section of the C+ man-
ual can be inserted into Easyscript.
Because the C+ and Easyscript are
both so versatile, there are many fea-
tures that could be exploited by various
means, and hopefully some of the con-
ventions presented here will help you
write classier documents. ■
5li Bits & Bytes -May 1986
BBO
The uses of Teletext screens
by Pip Forer
I started off this month with the inten-
tion of nominating my top-ten of useful
software.
I abandoned the ideafortwo reasons.
Firstly, usefulness is very much in the
eye of the user: what is useful to me may
well be useless to you (and vice versa).
Secondly, such a list can be mislead-
ing. By definition useful programs are
those that have been used for some
time. A program that was bought over a
year or two ago and still satisfied a need
may nevertheless not be the best option
for a user coming to the marketplace in
1986, tried and true though it is.
However, before i abandoned the top
ten, one product had appeared on it
which made me think a little about my
own prejudices in programming.
This product is the Teletext (Mode 7)
screen editor from Beebugsoft.
I have always tried to avoid Mode 7
like the plague. Partly this is because its
use is far less instinctive (and far less
well explained) than the other modes on
the BBC Micro. Partly it is a psychologi-
cal problem (who, me?).
Some farmers who have cleared bush
to make grazing have felt unwilling to
reinstate trees on marginal land
because it betrayed their first clearance
ethos. I, having risen above the screen
limitations of earlier micros, was
unhappy to revert to a text style screen.
The Teletext editor started off by mak-
ing teletext easy for me to use and by
doing that freed me of those earlier pre-
judices I had enjoyed.
How Mode 7 works
On the BBC the teletext mode has the
unique ability to give you eight colours
and 40 characters per line. It also only
uses 1 k of memory.
It manages this trick in a very simple
way, but one which its relatively low
exposure will justify retelling {at least for
some).
A teletext screen consists of 25 lines
of 40 characters. Each line is scanned
separately and displayed on the screen
using a special Teletext chip (not the
usual BBC graphics chip used for other
modes).
Characters are interpreted sequen-
tially one by one, with a clean break bet-
ween lines. The significant word here is
interpreted: teletext characters are not
just letters and numbers but also com-
mand codes which affect other charac-
ters following on the line.
The codes used follow an interna-
tional standard but differ from normal
ASCII codes. This is shown in the BBC
Users Guide where two tables display
the effects and letters associated with
different numeric values: the ASCII and
teletext tables.
The BBC uses ASCII codes between
and 1 28 for most normal operations in
modes to 6, and uses the spare
codes over 128 for special characters
and other uses.
The Teletext table reveals a similar
structure for characters but with a fully
defined use of codes 1 28-255, including
a rather important section of codes bet-
ween values 127 and 159.
This group issues commands which
affect the display of other characters.
To complicate the tables further there
is a second set of characters which can
be made to appear: the graphics charac-
ters (which actually include some mis-
sing features from the other set such as
the three-quarters figure).
Commands
Amongst the command codes are
ones that set text colour, determine
whether you display alphabetic or
graphics characters, produce double
height characters, make characters
flash and so on.
Each command takes up one byte of
the screen (which gets displayed as a
blank of the current background colour,
so you often do not get a full 40 charac-
ters that you can use. Setting a cyan
background with blue text, for instance,
needs three spaces.)
Working interactively with Teletext
screens can be awkward because
changing something at one point can
affect the rest of the line (and that point
can be an innocuous looking space that
may conceal a control character).
With teletext you can produce the
well-known and quite attractive screens
typical of Prestel.
Because they are low on memory use
you can write large programs, or even
use tricks like altering the address that
defines the start of video memory to run
more than one screen at once (teletext
can be formatted to make very effective
help screens).
There are public-domain programs to
printer-dump mode 7 screens that can
catch everything except the flash.
Why then is mode 7 sometimes
ignored?
The problem is that to use teletext
effectively the user has to get involved in
producing printing effects using the
CHR$() command to embed all the
codes that the keyboard can not gener-
ate (with the exception of the rather neat
use of the 'shifted' special function keys
to set text colour).
But the teletext editor lets you get
round this.
With the Beebugsoft editor (which is
not the only one available but which I
have found adequate) you get a good,
interactive tutorial on teletext to start you
off.
The main editor provides a full sum-
mary of commands available and the
ability to handle up to 4 screens at one.
Editing is through use of the special
function keys (which produce the
required teletext command codes), with
enhanced control of the editing keys and
some extra feature such as a large, bold
type for significant title pages provided.
You simply move around the screen
printing and painting what you want
where you want it.
Given the nature of teletext this can
still be messy for graphics but it is out-
standingly simple for designing good
screen prompt pages.
Saving bonus
The real bonus lies in the options lor
saving your screen.
You can opt to save any screen as a
screen image which can then be *
LOADED from any program of your own.
This has limitations in some cases
however.
The other option is to save the screen
as a procedure.
The editor will translate your image
into suitable PRINT statements tor a
procedure you both name and specify
the line numbering for.
This is spooled into a file which can be
EXECed back into any program. This is
a real treat because minor alterations
can be done without reverting to the
editor at all.
This ability to interactively create a
screen and graft a known layout into
one's programs alters one's attitude to
teletext a great deal.
I now intermix Mode 1 and 7 screens
quite frequently (remembering to set
HIMEM to the bottom of the most
demanding mode's screen memory at
the program's start and not to change
mode during a procedure). The key is
the ease with which it can now be done.
Of course teletext is also the basis of
public information systems like Prestel,
Editel and Ceefax.
Bits & Bytes - May 1 9B6 51
Apple
More fun with disks:
by Paul Left
Recovering deleted files
In a previous column we dealt with using
a sector-editor to alter information on a
disk.
We looked at how to read the Direc-
tory on track $1 1 , sector $OF to find the
location of a file, and how to alter that file
by reading in, modifying, and re-writing
the appropriate sectors.
The example we used was of a text-
file which had been overwritten with an
almost-empty file of the same name.
This month we will look at how to
recover a file which has been lost
through the DOS 3.3 DELETE com-
mand. This will necessitate a closer look
at the Directory and how file-names are
stored there.
II is important to bear in mind, how-
ever, that once a file has been
DELETED, it must be 'un-deleted'
before other files are saved to disk, or it
will be lost forever.
If you have saved other files, however,
your deleted file may still be safe, so give
this method a try anyway.
The steps we will use are as follows:
{1} Alter the Directory or CATALOG
entry for the file to show that it is still cur-
rent.
(2) LOAD the file into memory and
SAVE it again to make sure DOS knows
the file's sectors are in use.
Before you get stalled, make yourself
a practice disk to avoid damaging files
on existing disks. To do this, load a
BASIC program into memory, put a
BLANK disk in drive 1 , and type INIT
GUINEA PIG.
This will format the new disk and place
the BASIC program on it as the 'start up'
program. Now type SAVE FILE TWO.
This will save another copy of the same
program to disk* and you should see
both names when you do a CATALOG.
Now type DELETE FILE TWO, and
then do a CATALOG again. FILE TWO
should have disappeared from the direc-
tory, and is inaccessible to DOS com-
mands such as LOAD, RUN, etc. Your
practice disk is now ready.
Now boot your favourite sector-editor
and read in the directory on your practice
disk. If you took notes last time, you'll
know that it's found on Track $1 1 , sector
$OF. You should see something like
Figure 1:
FIGURE ONE
TRACK $11, SECTOR $OF
QO;
00
1 1
OF
00
00
QO
00
00
?0M?????
OB :
00
00
00
12
OF
2
C7
05
7???7?GU
10:
C9
CE
C5
CI
AO
00
C9
C7
INEA PIG
L8:
AO
AO
AO
A3
AO
AO
AC
AO
20:
AO
AC
AO
AO
AO
AO
AO
AO
23:
AO
AO
AO
AO
0"!
00
FF
OF
777?
30:
02
C6
C9
CC
C5
AO
D4
07
7FILE TW
38 :
OF
no
AO
AO
AO
AO
AO
AO
□
40:
AO
AO
AO
AC
AC
AO
AO
AO
46 :
AO
AO
AO
AO
AO
AO
! 3
04
77
50:
00
00
CO
00
OC
00
00
00
77777777
Notice that FILE TWO still appears in
the directory, along with GUINEA PIG,
Let's look at the information about the
files, starting from the beginning of the
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sector. Firstly, the '11 OE' tells DOS
where the next directory sector will be
found when this one gets full. After a
string of '00' bytes comes the beginning
of the directory entry for the first file.
The '12 OF' tells where its track/sec-
tor list is found, the '02' tells what sort of
file it is, and then come the file name
itself. This is padded out to 30 charac-
ters by a string of 'AO' bytes, which is the
hex code for a space' character.
Then come the file length ('04') and a
'00' byte to signal the end of the entry. In
Other words, the entry comprises:
2 bytes that show the track and sector
of the Track/Sector List;
1 byte that shows the file type;
30 bytes which are the file name;
1 byte which shows the number of
sectors the file uses;
1 byte, always '00', to show the end of
the entry for that file
Now DOS normally would have saved
the next file on sector $0F of the next
track, $13, but the first byte of this entry
is'FF 1 ,
Look at the last few bytes of this entry,
and notice that the length, '04', is pre-
ceded not by an AO' but a '13'. This is
the track number of the deleted file's
track sector list.
This is the clue to what DOS does
when it deletes a file: if moves the first
byte of the entry for that file to just before
the file length byte, and replaces it with
an 'FF'.
The original data in the file itself is still
intact, but DOS notes elsewhere that the
sectors occupied by the file are now
available, and they will be overwritten in
time by SAVEing other files.
In the meantime, however, we can
easily recover the file by altering these
two bytes back to their former values.
As long as you haven't saved other
files to disk, the file should be intact.
Change the FF' back to '13', there-
fore, and change the '13' near the end of
the entry back to 'AO'. The sector should
now look like figure 2; if it does, write the
sector back to disk, and your file will be
rescued.
FIGURE TWO
TRACK $11, SECTOR $0F
00
00
1 1
OE
00
00
00
00
00
70N77777
oe
00
CO
00
12
OF
2
C7
BS
??????GU
10
C9
CE
C5
CI
AO
DO
C9
C7
INEA PIG
la
AO
AO
AO
AO
AO
AO
AO
AO
20
AO
AO
AO
f:0
AO
AO
AO
AO
23
AO
AO
AO
AO
01
00
13
OF
77??
30
02
Cfi
C9
IX
C5
AO
D'',
07
7FTLE TW
se
CF
AO
AO
AO
AO
AO
AO
A
40
AO
AO
AO
AO
AO
AO
AO
AO
IB
AO
AO
AO
AO
AO
AO
AO
04
?7
50
00
00
00
00
00
OC
00
CO
?7??7' 5 7?
Exit from your sector- editor, and
CATALOG the disk. You should find the
52 Bits & Bytes - May 1 986
Apple
file back in the directory, safe and sound.
However, a few lines back I said that
DOS records that a deleted file's sectors
are available for new files, and unless
we fix this, our 'undeleted' file can still be
overwritten. There are two methods of
dealing this, but the simplest is to LOAD
the file and SAVE it again.
This is easily done from DOS if the file
is a BASIC program, but needs to be
done from within a word-processor if it is
a Text file.
If it's a Binary file, BLOADing is easy,
but you need to know the file's Start
address and Length before BSAVina it.
If you don't know these details, you
will need to read in the first sector of the
program with your trusty editor.
Remember that you can find this sec-
tor by looking at the Track-Sector List of
the file.
The first 2 bytes of the fit© itself are the
address and the next 2 are the length.
Both have the bytes reversed; that is, in
the example in Figure 3, the address is
$0400 and the length is $1842. After
BLOADing this file, you would BSAVE
with "BSAVE filenames,
A$0400,L$1842".
Be aware, however, that only Binary
files have the start address and length
stored in this fashion.
FIGURE THREE
First Sector of a Binary File
00: 00 04 42 18 A9 01 60 C5
start
of
file
$0400
length
of
file
$1842
Once you have saved your file back to
disk, experiment with the tiles on your
practice disk: you can't mess around
with all of the bytes in the directory, but
the 30 bytes of the file name are fair
game.
If your editor lets you enter text, write
directly over the file names.
If your editor will only let you enter hex
values for the bytes, you'll need to trans-
late the characters you want to enter into
their haxadecimal ASCII codes.
You can enter control characters,
which are invisible to a normal
CATALOG, and make your file inacces-
sible to anyone who doesn't know about
the invisible characters.
Try replacing the $A0 bytes (spaces)
with $88 (backspace) or $8D (carriage
return) bytes. These can alter the whole
screen format of your CATALOG if
you're so inclined, but if you change the
name of your 'HELLO' file, you need to
tell DOS the new name.
See if you can find the correct bytes to
change on Track $01 , Sector $09. This
is the only way to change the 'HELLO'
file's name without re-initialising the
disk.
While you're still experimenting with
your practice disk, try changing the file-
type byte and see what effect each of the
following legal values has:
00 80
01 81
02 82
04 84
08 88
10 90
In future columns we'll look at altering
DOS to gain extra disk space for your
files.
In the meantime, take care when
working with anything other than a prac-
tice disk.
Always make a backup before you
start, and check through your alterations
before you write a sector back to the
disk. ■
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REFERENCE
CACTI V 76
CACTIV95
CACTIVL1 ID
CACTIVI125
CACIIVItii
C6C I IV 1 165
CACW19S
CAM;RICA45
CARfULAllS
CARK1LA125
CAFWLA135
CAB IC LAI 15
CARIOLA95
CAHID'_AS85
CARTIC25
CBEAUJCIL55
CBEAIU0L.6S
CBEYOND110
CBEYOND1 15
CBEfOND21
CBEYOND55
CC.D E..S5
CCASCA3E75
CCO MM (10! 36
CCOMMCD796
CCOMPIHE66
CCHLI5
CCBL2S
CCHL35
C0ATAEAS15
COATAFAJIS
COATA50F65
CWAOF85
CD1SNEY16
CDISN£y25
COiSNEYJS
CDISNEY45
CDtSN£YS5
CDOMABK55
CDimraj.«
CE/DHEAM1S
CELEC/OR15
CELECTBI65
CEUTES5
CELITESS
CELITE95
cenglish75
cenglish36
cepyw
CEPYX95
CFANTA5Y65
CF1REBI15
CFIREBIHIS
CFIREBIH75
CFIREBIB55
CFIREBIR65
CFIREB:R75
CFIREBIB85
CFIREB:B95
CGIOBAL15
CGBEULINf5
CHEWS D»65
CBEWS0N75
CHITSOUA15
CHlTS(tUA2S
CIMAGINE25
CIMAGIriESS
CINFOC0M15
CKINGSOFI5
CKING50F25
CLEISURE25
CLEISURE35
CLEVE19I5
CLEVE1975
CLUMA5025
CLUCASF '5
CMARTECH3S
CMASTERT25
CMASTERT35
CMASTERT45
CMASTERT55
CMASTEBT65
CM AST EH 1 75
CMASTEBT85
CMEL/H025
CMEL/H045
CMEL7H055
CMEL/H06S
CMEI/H075
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THE NZ COMPUTER GAMES CLUB
PO BOX 18 NELSON PHONE 89-100
TITLE
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54 Bits & Bytes - May 1 986
Jgega
Moving simple shapes
by Dick Williams
You will recall that last month I started
this series on shape movement with a
program to create simple shapes con-
sisting of up to nine points.
Each point could be plotted on screen,
numbered, and joined up to make a visi-
ble shape.
The program this month takes that a
stage further and shows the nett effect of
applying simple mathematical functions
to the points.
The accompanying screen dumps
show an original image, and how it can
be moved left or right, scaled and
rotated. This is a demonstrationn prog-
ram and has point identification plus
point x,y on screen, and also an off
centre status indicator. These make it a
lot easier to follow the program and to
see what happens to each point. For
exampfe, when moving a shape to the
right by 20 (20 pixels) all x co-ordinates
increase by 20.
if a shape is scaled to half size (.5)
both the x and y value of a point are
halved so the points come in closer to
the origin (x=0, y =0) and the shape gets
smaller.
Rotation of a shape requires the x and
y values to be multiplied by the sine and
cosine of the rotation angle, plus a vari-
able added or subtrated. Lines 590 to
640 show this.
The Sega sine and cosine tables
apply to radians, and it is necessary to
convert degrees to radians prior to start-
ing the rotation calculation.
The Sega shows a very small differ-
ence in the sin and cos of 45 degrees -
where it should show the same value to
I have reduced this error by making the
sine value equal to the cosine of 90
degrees minus the angle required. This
means that it is only using its cosine
table, see line 600. Because of the on
screen particulars the program is quite
slow at erasing and redrawing the shape
at a new location.
Even with the code parred right down
to the absolute minimum, the speed is
still slow. So that you can see something
really fast there is a short machine code
program included. This is for 16/32k cart
or disc and shows the Sega at high
speed printing a whole screen.
A practical method is to use basic
most of the time for the parts which do
not need a lot of speed and to use
machine code routines (short sections)
for those parts which do.
With the shape movement program
there are things to remember: the x=0
and y=0 positions are no longer at top
left, they are positioned at the centre of
the screen; in the interests of keeping
the code short, I have used equations to
modify each of the x,y point co-ordinates
- a more sophisticated method would
use the mathematical technique of mat-
rix transformations; an image scaled
down to a very small size and then re-
scaled up will distort due to small errors
in the calculation process.
vWWWWWWWV
10 REM NAME = GRAPH 2 D WILLIAMS
Experiments uith graph movement
20 REM — Set up graph screen
30 ERASE : SCREEN 2,2:CLS:A- -90:B=33
40 POSITION C 100,9B),0,B : J=l
50 G0SUB 800
60 CURSOR -B0,3 :PRINT "-80
70 CURSOR 70,3 :PRINT "+80
80 CURSOR 2,-80 =PR1NT "-B0
9B CURSOR 2, 80 :PRJNT "+B0
100 PATTERN SB0, "F0C0A09008040201
110 CURSOR A,B : COLOR 1
120 PRINT "MOUE'ARROU KEYS,CR=PSET,J=0
RAW
130 CURSOR I IB, -83 =PRINT "X Y":PRINT
■■FOR P=] TO 9 :PR1NT TAB(3BJ;P : NEXT
:G0SUB 850
140 X=0 : Y=0 : REH ■
150 REn--PSET points on screen
160 TRINKETS : If Tt = " THEN BLINE
C-80,-82)-[80, -30), l,BF:CURSOR-80,-30
:PRINT "X =" ;X;" f =-" ;t
170 IF T* = CHRSC28) THEN X=X<-S
180 IF Y* » CHR*C23) THEN X=X-5
190 IF 1$ = CHRIC30J THEN Y = T-5
200 IF T» = CHRSC31.] THEN Y=Tt5
210 IF T* «= -J" THEN 250
220 [F TS = CHR*C13)THEN PSET CX,Y),1:
BEEPiCIRCLE ( X, T ) , 2 , 1 :CURS0R X-B.T-12
:PRINT J : XCJ) = X : TCJ)=T IGOSUB 630
:J=J + 1 : IF J ) 3 THEN 250
230 SPRITE 0, CX, n,B, I
240 GOTO 160 : REH loop back
250 REM--Park sprite po.nter top Left
260 SPRITE 0,C-80,-80],0,l : J =J - 1
270 BLINE (-85, -30 J - t 2B , -82 ] , 1 , BF
2B0 REM — Join up points uith lines
230 PSETC Xtn.Ttn J : FOR P=2 TO J
300 LINE -{ XCP), TCP) ) : NEXT
3)0 LINE -c xm.Tto )
32B GOSUB B20
33B CURSOR A,B:PRINT CHRtCS J ! "M'MOUE S
=SCALE R'RQTATE C--RESTAR I" =G0SUB 650
340 r*»lNK£T»tJF YJ <> ■■■• THEN BEEP
350 IF Tt = "IT' THEN 41B
360 IF r( = "5" THEN 470
3?0 |F Ti = "R" THEN 560
380 IF T£ = "E" THEN 30
330 GOTO 3ia:REM
300 REM--Move drawing left or rtafHt--
1!0 CURSOR A,B:PRINT CHRJ(5);" MQUE- T
TPE IN HOU FAR (tCR) " i : Tt=""
420 K« = INKEYt : IF Kt = >'" THEN 420
430 IF K*«CHf!*U3j THEN BE£P:G0SUB 720
:K=INTC UALCTt) ) :FOR P=l TO J:XCP)^
;x[p)+k) ;next : nx-nx+K ; goto 230
44 B PRINT Ki , r : TS=rt+KS : BEEP
4SB IF INKETS <•> "" THEN 450
460 GOTO 42B : REH ---
470 REM--Scale dray.ng I dr ge rjs ma I le r
480 Kt= INKEYt: IF HX O I HE>C CURSOR A
,B:PRJNT CHRtC5J;"SHAPE OFF .1ENTRE , PRE
SS CR TO RECENTRE" =Y*=STRt[t1X * -1JUF
K*=CHR*CJ3) THEN 43B
430 IF MXO0 AND K*OCHR*C 133THEN 480
500 CURSOR A,B:PRINT CHRtCS);" SCALE-T
TPE IN HOU MUCH C-t-CR) " ; ; Yt=""
510 Kt = INKEYS : IF Kl = ••" THEN 51B
520 IF K*=CHR»U3J THEN BEEP:GOSUB 720
=K=UflLtTtJ :F0R P=l TO J :XCPi«=X(P ) * K
: Y(PJ=YCPJ X K ;NEXT : GOTO 230
530 PRINT KS ; : TS = Yti-Kt : BEEP
540 IF INKEYt O »« THEN 540
550 GOTO 510 : REH
560 REIi — Rotate drau.ng clockwise
570 K*=]NKET*:|F [IX <> THEN CURSOR A
,B:PRINT CHRSC5) ;"SHAPE OFF CENTRE, PR
ESS CR TO RECENTRE" : Yt^STRt C MX,'*- [ 1 :JF
Kt=CHR*C 13) THEN 430
580 IF MXO0 AND K*OCHRtC13)THEN 570
530 N=30:CURSOR A,6:PRINT CHRJJ 5 j ; "ROT
ATE SET AT";N; M DEGREES" : GoJlJB 72a
600 C = COSC RADfN] ):S=C05C firVDO0-N})
610 FOR P=l TO J : D = XCP]
620 X(P)iXCP) i C -TCP) * S
630 Y(P)*T[P) * c * D IS
640 NEXT : GOTO 230 : REM
t
650 REM — Print X and Y point UAtues—
660 CURSOR I10.-8B : PRINT CHR*(SJ
670 FOR P=l TO 3
680 PRINT TABC34) ;]NTf X ( P J *, 5 1;
680 PRINT TABC37: ; I N T t TtP^.S )
700 NEXT
710 CURSOR 75,40:PRINT "OFF' :CURS0R 75
,50:PRINT "CENTRE= ' ;rlX : RElORN ; REM
if
220 REH--Erase point numbers fcur i: I es-
730 REH *
740 FOR P = I TO J ; ' BLINE
(X(P3i-4,YlP)-4]-fX[PJ-4,T[P)-l^j,l,BF
750 8CIRCLE ( XCP], TCP) ),2 : NEXT:REn
750 REIi--Erase previous drau.ng
770 PSET ( XUl.YCi) J : FOR P=2 TO J
780 BLINE -t XtPl.rtP) ] : nf^jr
730 BLINE -C X( ] 1, YC 1 1 )
800 LINE C0,-30)-r.0,B0) , 2
810 LINE r-B0,0]-C80,0) :CaL0R 1:R£TURN
V
82B REd--Pr.nt new point numt^rs — ■
830 REC1 *
840 FOR P=] TO J ,
850 CIRCLE C XCP),Y(P) ),?,!,■
B60 CURSOR XCP)-8, YCP)-12 : F^RiNT P
B70 NEXT : RETURN
B80 REH Change REtf in tine 730 f S30
to RETURN. Tn . s ullt stop drau.ng
erasure and point numbering.
830 REM To scaleltry values ol'.5 lor
half size and 2 or 3 to .ncrease
s-ze.II the shape .s loo l^rge to
I.t an screen uhen scaled J3Pj the
program will stop. A scale tfOwn cF
.00] slues a small dot In the
centre, rescate 1000,
SOB REM Ratal, on ,s preset 10-60
desrees By N=30 in l.ne 530, a Iter
Id su.tilouement .s restricted 10
left or f,)M. -40 move* tell by
40 pixels, +40 moves T.oht from
present pus, Ion Dy 40 psxels.Tfie
- E.gn ,s not necessary
335 REM
-BO t-as
< -40 = left
> 4 - nlck l0
Bits & Bytes - May 1 986 55
Sega
5 REH AAAAHWiAAAflHHflHAHAAAAflAflflfVWAFlHFl
12 X=S,H380a;REI1 PROG rVC-5 D WILLIAMS
11 READ f)fc:|F fW»"END" THEN 38
16 f«=LEFT*tA*,Z] :P0KEXr5,UAL( "iH 'tft*3
:DJ=HEXS(X-t-S) :PRINT Qs ; " " tf*» iS*£+-J
= GOTO 14
IS DATA 2l,0fl,ft8 LD HL WITH BUFFER
20 DATA 06,05
22 DATA CS
24 DATA 06, CI
25 DATA 0E.BE
28 DATA ECB3
30 DATA CI
32 DATA 1S,F6
34 DATA C3
36 DATA END
33 PRINT "NOU LOADING BUFFER
42 X=8.Hfl000:FQR S=B TD 945
44 POKERS) , 42 - NEXT : CLS
LD B WITH 5 riHBS)
PUSH B
LD B UITH 193 C8.HC1 )
LD C UITH UOP
OTiR
POP B
PJNS LOOP 8. OEC B
RETURN TD BAS 1 C-
46 X = S,HA000
4B FOR S=0 TO 949 =B=PEEK [X+S3
50 B*=CHRJKB) :RRINT B* j
52 NEXT :PR]NT
54 INPUT "PRESS CR TO CL5" ;K* -CL
56 INPUT "PRESS CR TO PRINT " i%*
58 CALLS.H980S
60 REM Type in and saue.Try a run
no m.stsikes the pros u.M Igad
fcu Her and pr :nl it to the scr
at slOiJ speed. Line 54 clears I
screen, line 55 lends to 58 uti
calls a machine cade to pr.nt
high speed,
62 REM Yau can delete 12 onwards
Lype CALL LH9B0B to pr.nt anyt
you [qp I l.ke i t . Pr i n t i n g take
place Irom the cursor posit. or
63 REM Notice that uhen the prog
run LINE 5 contains some stran
he
ch
at
chflraeiflrs .these represent the num~-
bers thai Are stored in memory
starting (rem S.H330B and are the
[ compu te r J machine code control. ng
the last printing.
54 REfl This .s I a r cartridge users :Fcr
disc, alter as lc Ileus,
LINE J 2 X-8.H8212.LINE 58 CHLL8.HB712
Add LINE 43 LlrUT S.HFFFF Alter LINE
42 and 46 X-S.HO000 LINE 18 DATA 21,
00,00
:■■■■
■t
-■IT.
■I -■■'■ |
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. )« g 1
]-■' *
^ '.:
% 1 1
rW ' T
1
*#iji
L
1
_4
HFF
rWl&lllrtL IHH^E
Time is
running out
to get He
FREE WATCH
we offer with
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we guarantee them for a human lifetime.
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released and this offer ceases when they have
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\ferbatim.
II
-iff
s a
tEJITPF= I*
Mf Sl.-F ■ -•>
., ;r
fcrjTuTE it- iE'^FEf.
I -i^-il
si?
7 -c, -j*
S Q 3
d
■ so
J 3T44
-,■ -■T--5-'?
MlI.'F -jo mm
•fcr.
ELI
-Si)
TIFF
WordPerfect. For Life.
VERBATIM NEW ZEALAND LIMITED, WELLINGTON 856-615
OR YOUR LOCAL COMPUTER STORE
* | ■ y
23 ii
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56 Bits & Bytes - May 1 986
Atari
Syncalc, Synf ile and Syntrend
by Allan Clark
Syncalc, Synfile and Syntrend are
three of a suite of programs produced by
Synapse for the Atari home computers.
Syncalc is also available for the Com-
modore 64.
Both Syncalc and Synfile have
recently been upgraded to take advan-
tage of the extra memory of the Atari
130XE.
Syncalc
Syncalc is an electronic worksheet.
Have you ever planned a budget tor
your home or office? If so you have prob-
ably used a worksheet divided into rows
and columns.
Perhaps you wrote the months of the
year across the top of the sheet and
listed categories of income and expendi-
ture down one side.
After entering the basic information for
each category for each month you may
have calculated total cash available (or
shortfall) by adding and subtracting
numbers in each of the sheet's cells.
This is the classic example of a work-
sheet.
Syncalc is an electronic version of the
familiar paper worksheet.
Since it does all the calculations for
you at lightening speed, and remembers
the formulas used, an electronic work-
sheet is much more convenient than a
paper one because it allows you to man-
ipulate large amounts of information with
minimum effort.
Syncalc comes attractively boxed with
a fully detailed and illustrated tutorial
manual.
Users who have used other work-
sheets will be immediately at home with
Syncalc, white users new to electronic
worksheets will find the manual friendly
and easy to understand.
The pop-up menus also encourage a
clear understanding of. the principles of
electronic worksheets.
On screen
On booting the Syncalc disk you are
presented with a row of columns each
named ABC... etc. and row names 1 2
3 ... A3 refers to the cell at the intersec-
tion of column A and row 3.
The bottom of the screen has the mes-
sage option = menu. Pushing Option
brings up four choices load/save, text,
numeric, command. Use the arrow keys
to move the cursor to make your selec-
tion and hit return to implement it.
A small five-line screen will pop up at
the bottom of the screen offering further
choices or a blank screen for inputing
text or numeric data.
If you get into the incorrect menu hit-
ting escape will take you back to the
spreadsheet.
A command line at the top of the
screen gives details of instructions input
for each cell. Details of free memory is
also given.
Load/save screen gives options for
formatting disks, and loading and saving
you worksheets. You may save your
worksheets as text files, which will allow
for easy inclusion in Atariwriter or other
word processing packages.
You may convert programmes from
Visicalc to Syncalc. The transfer of data
between Syncalc, Synfile and Syntrend
is relatively easy.
The Options
The text mode allows you to enter text
for headings for your Rows and Col-
umns. These text names can be used to
refer to cells rather than using A3 i.e.
JAN-SALES.
Numeric allows you to enter numbers
or formulae. Formulae may include any
of the normal mathematical funnctions
+-/* as well as absolute value, arc
cosine, arc sine, arc tan, cosine, e to the
power of, interger part of x, natural log of
x, common log of x, pi, sine of x, square
root of x, and tangent of x.
Logical functions include: if condition
THEN x ELSE y, while special functions
are included for: LOOKUP (X, range,
offset), and financial functions allow for:
mean, average, net present value,
range, maximum and minimum.
While in the numeric window, pushing
Option and Select will give you a list of
functions available.
The sort function allows the sorting of
ranges of cells into ascending or
descending order - a very useful func-
tion.
Command selection allows you to
manipulate the worksheet.
You may wish to change the width of a
Row, insert or delete a column, protect a
worksheet or part of a worksheet or
change the format of a column or row.
A full list of available options is given
inn a pop-up window. You move the cur-
sor and the computer will lead you
through the choices to be made for each
option.
Once you get familiar with the options
available you can bypass the menus at
the bottom of the screen and enter direct
commands, i.e. just start typing a letter
to enter a label, while a number, @ sign
or + will take you automatically to the
numeric window.
To enter a command push the
backslash key followed by the abbrevia-
tion for the command (C for copy).
When you are in the menu system the
abbreviations are displayed in the com-
mand window as you make your
choices, making the learning of abbrevi-
ations for frequently used commands
easy.
Cells may be referenced in formulae
and commands by entering the cell
reference (A3) or by pointing to the cell
{by placing cursor on the required cell).
To print out a worksheet you are
asked to define the range you wish to
print out.
There is no way of storing this infor-
mation in a macro (macros are not sup-
ported by Syncalc) so it can become
tedious if you hawe a lot of sections to
be printed out separately. You may save
all or part of the worksheet to disk for
reference by other worksheets.
Memory space
One of the problems with electronic
worksheets on home computers has
been that once you get all the user
friendly features required there is no
memory left for the worksheet.
This is not a problem with the 130XE
implementation of Syncalc - with 128
columns, 255 rows and 84K of free
memory you can design very large work-
sheets.
ATARI 520 ST
*
SURPRISE
See Inside
Front Cover
Bils a Bytes -May 1986 57
Atari
Bui it always pays to save an rid reload
your worksheet at regular intervals to
avoid memory problems, partiocularly if
you are asing the sort feature.
SyncaTc is a friendly, easy to use, well
documented implementation of the elec-
tronic worksheet on the Atari.
Its uses are only limited by your imagi-
nation.
[f you are having problems working
out the best solution for your worksheet
then any of the books of solutions written
for other worksheet programs are easily
converted to Syncalc.
Highly recommended to anyone with
budgeting problems.
Synfile
A companion programme to Syncalc,
Synfile is a database programme which
allows you to organise information into
relevant Ssts and files.
Synfile comes on disk with a tutorial
on the reverse side of the disk. Friendly
and easy to use pop-up menus lead you
through the design and creation of your
database. The manual leads you
through a simple example.
To setjjip a database you have to
create a fie. A file is made up of fields
which youare required to define.
For akcord library they may be
record titJfiperformer, song and style.
It's ovewo you to include all the date
you wishtBinclude.
You srAkl spend time working out
the riamaBd types of fields you wish to
include jMtour data base for while it is
possibl^m"»dd new fields and change
their foniJHt can be tricky.
As ygfcset up your fields you also
design yflhr input screen. Place the cur-
sor wheryyou want it on the screen and
type the tue. On hitting return you will be
prompte<Sor the type and length.
Fields 'may be TEXT, NUMERIC,
LOOKUP, {scrolls through defined
choices); fcOLLAR, DATE, INTERGER,
CONDITIONAL (true or false check on
comparison with other fields), COM-
PUTED (calculates the results of a for-
mula thatfcou specify), COUNTER and
RECORD.
Having set up the data-base you may
input data, but first you will have to
specify a
(or more
This k
which da
the more
data basi
Havini
search
simply in
to search
which may be on any field
one).
determines the order in
stored and the smaller it is
records you can have in the
eated a file you may sort it or
information in any field by
ting the information you wish
or in the blank form. You may
make conditional searches (all with sur-
name greater than G).
You may print out a database in the
form of a list or label.
The lisWprm allows you to place any
58 Bits & Bytes - May 1986
field anywhere on a single line. Records
are printed one under the other,.
In the labels form you may print the
fields anywhere on the page.
The problem with printing in Synfile is
you cannot save your print format. Each
time you wish to print out your database
you are required to reinput the print
parameters.
This can be simplified by creating a
simple label print file on disk and then
reading the label fite into a Atariwriter
file. Mail merge is handled in a similar
manner.
Items for printing may be selected
from the data-base using search criteria
on any field. This can be slow and it is
often quicker to create a subfile of the
information to be printed out and then
printing out subfile in full.
Getting to knopw the idiosyncrasies of
Synfile can be frustrating but once you
master it it is an invaluable tool for
recording, sorting, filing and retrieving
related information - be it a mailing list or
record collection.
Recommended to all, with patience
and information to be sorted.
Syntrend
Basic programes SynGraph and
SynStat.
SynGraph allows you to input data
and create graphs, Data may be trans-
ferred from Syncalc and Synfile. An easy
to follow tutorial and pop-up menus lead
you through the creation of line graphs,
scatter graphs, bar snails and pte
charts.
You may save the graphs to disk and
project them as a slide show. If you have
a dot matrix printer you may print them
out.
Synstat allows you to analyse infor-
mation; once again you can input your
own data or transfer it from Syncalc or
Synfile.
Describe will analyse the data giving
the following statistical information:
number of objects, average, standard
deviation, variance, standard error,
minimum, maximum, range.
You may then carry out regression
analysis both dependent and indepen-
dent.
Synstat and Syngraph are of interest
to those with a interest in statistics and
statistical analysis, or who have a
requirement to create graphs.
Syntrend is a package of two Atari
AFTER 37 EXPLODING FISTS,
The excitement can diminish, but if
you've bought it you're stuck with it!
THE PRETTY PICTURES on a package are
NOT ALWAYS AN INDICATION OF THE QUALITY OF A GAME
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I
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Amstrad
Three programme constructs
by Craig Beaumont
The benchtest for Dr Logo in the last
issue may be a little unfair at 134 sec-
onds. This was on the CP/M 2.2 version
of Logo, which is a partial implementa-
tion of this language when compared to
the CP/M Plus version.
This version recorded a time of 122
seconds.
Also on the language front Oxford
Pascal is now available on the 6128 and
Digital Research have released compil-
ers called PASCAL/MT+ and CBASIC -
good to see such a high powered estab-
lishment on the Amstrad software
scene.
This month we will dissect a program
virtually line by line. My experience in the
users group indicates a large proportion
of you may be interested in this.
The program is a reaction tester - not
especially useful but it contains many
aspects of Basic programming.
The aim is to post a record time or
break the record average. To play the
game press any key as quickly as possi-
ble when you hear the beep. The prog-
ram checks for various methods of
cheating - holding down or tapping of
keys, and rewards those who do with the
dismal reaction time of 1 second.
All programs, whatever their language
are, can be built from three constructs -
sequence, selection and iteration.
Sequence means a series of steps
executed {done not killed) in the order
your machine finds them. An example of
this is lines 1 0-90 where the reaction test
program sets up the initial status of the
random numbergenerator, the variables
we don 't want to be zero and the screen .
Line 180 contains an example of the
second type of construct - selection.
Here the program makes a decision
on whether you have cheated. If you
reaction time is less than 0. 1 of a second
then it decides you have been naughty
and changes your time to 1 second.
At line 1 00 we find one of two types of
iteration found inj the program. The
FOR-NEXT loop here repeats the sequ-
ence in line 120-240 five times. In this
sequence we find another FOR-NEXT
loop on line 130. The function of this
"nested loop" is to delay the beep for a
random time.
The second type of iteration is the
WHILE-WEND loop in line 160. This
type of loop has no set number of repet-
itions. It keeps going while the condi-
tions "no keys have been pressed" and
"time elapsed since the loop started is
less than 1 second" are true.
You can see that the WHILE-WEND
loop is a mixture of iteration and selec-
tion as it makes a decision each loop on
whether to loop again.
The program relies heavily on the
TIME function.
While this is acccurate to 1 /300th of a
second the computer only scans the
keyboard every 1 /50th of a second - this
is the limit to the accuracy of our reaction
measurements.
As we want to print the various times
quite often the program has a special
routine for doing this.
The GOSUB 300 found throughout
the program makes execution jump to
line 300. Here the time is printed in the
appropriate place then execution
returns to the line after the one that
caused the jump.
The CALL & BB18 in line 280 exe-
cutes a firmware routine that pauses
until a key is pressed. SPACE$(23) is a
string of 23 space characters to blank
the "Press a key to continue" prompt.
There are a few other features to this
program - SOUND, PRINT USING and
CLEAR INPUT, which the manuals exp-
lain in detail if you are interested.
You might like to add a feature where
record breakers can input their name
next to their achievement, or any other
refinements you can think of. The prog-
ram could be used to prepare for that
high action game or perhaps monitor the
condition of partygoers as they progress
through the evening!
Talking of high action games none I
have seen comes close to Starion by
Melbourne House. It combines the fas-
test 3D vector graphics with the
unscrambling of anagrams related to
various events in the history of the earth.
The result is an experience requiring
coordination and mental agility of the
highest level. In my case the latter came
from phone calls to a crossword expo-
nent.
Keith and Norman Wansbrough of
Auckland have sent in a program that is
great for someone wanting to use their
Amstrad and printer like one of those
typewriters with the one line memory,.
They also ask when they can expect
to see some CP/M software come out for
the 464/664.
Most CP/M software I have seen
advertised so far requires the extra
memory as found on the 6128 - an
exception is Hisoft's C which has ver-
sions for Amsdos, CP/M 2.2 and CP/M
Plus all in the one package. Program fol-
lows.
10 REM Reaction Tester
20 REM initialise
30 RANDOMIZE TINE
40 MODE l:rec=l:recav=l
50 LOCATE 1,10
60 PRINT "Reaction tine:"
70 PRINT "Record tine:"
80 PRINT "Average tiae:"
90 PRINT "Record average;'
100 REM sain loop
110 total=0:F0R j=l TO 5
120 LOCATE l,9:PRINT"Atte»pt"ji
130 FOR i = l TO [OQQtRNDWOOiNEXT i
140 CLEAR INPUT: '6G4 !- 6129 only
150 SOUND 1,40.4, 15:a=TIHE
ISO WHILE INKEV$=" AND TIME-a<293:
WEND:b=TINE
170 react=(b-a)/3O0
180 IF reacUQ.l THEN r*aci=i
190 total =total+react:am=total/j
200 IF rtc>ruc\ THEN rec=react
210 REM record reporting
220 y=lO:s=react:GOSUB 300
230 s=rec:S09UB 300
240 5=aver:G0SUB 300:NEXT j
250 If recav>aver THEN recav=aver
260 s=mav: GOSUB 300
270 PRINT n Press a key to continue"
280 LOCATE t r 14:CALL IBB 18
290 PRINT SPACEt(23);60TD 110
300 LOCATE l&,y:y=y+l
310 PRINT USING * tt. MP "js: RETURN
VALUE FOR MONEY
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Bits & Bytes - May 19B6 59
Spectrum
Pitfalls in buying second-hand
by Gary Parker
I've had a few calls lately from people
wanting to know about any pitfalls
involved in buying second-hand Spec-
trums. So this month I 'II take a look at the
practical side of owning a Spectrum -
the things that can go wrong and how to
avoid them.
As with all home computers, the Spec-
trum is a tough piece of equipment com-
pared to the computers of a dacade ago.
But that doesn't mean that you can treat
it like a toaster - computers are tough
compared to their predecessors, but still
quite delicate when compared to most
home appliances.
You can't leave a Spectrum in the gar-
age and let it freeze, or leave it in the
glasshouse and roast it, without having
some problems.
One person I spoke to complained
that the metal sheet on his Spectrum
kept coming loose. He had taken his
computer back to the shop and obtained
a replacement several times, but each
time the same fault had occurred.
It turned out that he kept his computer
on the window sill in the sunroom, and
the heat of the sun had been enough to
melt the glue holding the metal down.
With that amount of heat it is surprising
that the computer kept functioning!
Shock treatment
People who put their computer away
when they are not using it sometimes
throw the computer around a bit. Com-
puters are quite sensitive to shock, and
although I have seen Spectrums take a
big fall and survive, sometimes a little
knock can upset them.
Also, don't operate a Spectrum while
it is sitting in its polystyrene box, since
static elec; : ;ity can build up. One per-
son I knew was using his Spectrum in a
cut-down version of the box (to "protect
it"), and found that the computer kept
crashing. As soon as he used it without
the box, ail was well.
Take care not to press the keys
absurdly hard when playing games. The
Spectrum keyboard has two sheets of
thin plastic below it. Each sheet has a
circuit printed on it which forms a grid
beneath the keys. Each key has a buble
in the plastic below it, and when you
press a key, the buble is squashed and
the two circuits touch and so register the
keypress.
This system can work for a long time,
but if you press certain keys really hard,
the circuit eventually cracks, with the
60Blts&Bytes-May19B6
result that the key will not register when
you press it.
If you are buying a second-hand
Spectrum which looks fairly well used, it
would be a good idea to press every key
and check that it registers on the screen.
Of course, some keys such as SHIFT
will not produce anything unless you
press another key as well.
Worn tracks
The backplane of the Spectrum (the
bit that interfaces are connected to)
wears out if accessories are pulled on
and off a lot. Once the circuit tracks are
worn, they are difficult to fix unless you
carefully apply solder to each track.
The tracks may also become tar-
nished and so unconductive. Tracks
should really be made of gold, but to
save money are often made of other
metals, as on the Spectrum. So you
should clean them occasionally with a lit-
tle spirits.
The backplane is directly connected
to the chips inside the computer. Since
chips are sensitive to static, you should
take care when touching the backplane.
I've never taken any particular pre-
cautions and have not had any trouble,
but one person at the local computer
club managed to fry most of the chips in
a Spectrum by touching the backplane.
Be careful if you have nylon carpets,
since static builds up very easily in
nylon.
When Sinclair made the first digital
watches, the executives who could
afford them tended to have nylon carpet
in their offices. The watches couldn't
take it, and Sinclair gave up producing
digital watches.
Changing channels
Some Spectrums may give pictures of
varying quality depending on where they
are used. When I first got a Spectrum, it
gave a ghastly picture at home, but
worked perfectly when I took it back to
the shop.
It turned out that the signal given out
by the computer was close to channel
three, the channel used by Television
One. My home was near a TV transmit-
ter, and the TV signal interfered with the
picture.
I had to alter the position of the com-
puter's signal. To do this, take yourcom-
puter to a shop or to someone who has
done it before, or do it yourself if you feel
up to it.
First you have to carefully open the
computer — take care not to stretch the
keyboard printed circuit strips ^ and
locate the modulator. This is a metal
box, about the size of a matchbox, at the
back of the spectrum.
In the top is a small hole through which
can be seen a tuning slug. You should
turn this slightly with a screwdriver, while
watching the picture on the screen.
Stop turning when the picture has
moved to the channel you want.
I moved mine to channel two, which is
only a small turn of the slug.
It is best if you use a non-metallic
screwdriver, since a metal screwdriver
will alter the tuning when you touch the
slug. But if you have any doubts about
your ability to perform this task, leave it
to the experts.
Faded keys
Older Spectrums (not the Spectrum
Plus) often have faded lettering on the
keys. The red ink in particular can start to
rub off with constant use.
The Spectrum keys are joined
together beneath the metal plate to form
a single rubber mat. This mat can be
replaced reasonably inexpensively. A
shop will do it for you, but if you manage
to obtain a mat you can do it yourself.
You have to peel off the metal plate
(which is stuck down with fairly strong
double-sided tape), lift out the rubber
mat, and lie the new one in place. Then
stick down the metal plate again (the
tape will probably still be sticky enough).
That's all there is to it.
If you're buying a second-hand Spec-
trum, check out the things mentioned
above, where applicable, and look at the
overall appearance of the computer.
Does it look clean? Are there no signs of
fluid spills or tampering? Is it treated with
respect by the owner?
Apart from these external things there
is little else you can do to evaluate a
computer. Obviously, you should see it
going.
If possible, get the owner to load a
commercial game into the machine,
since these tend to use the computer to
iats fullest.
If a second-hand computer works
properly when you buy it, the chances
are that it will work properly for some
time to come. Spectrums tend to
develop a fault within a week or so of
being purchased new, or not for many
years.
SAVE ON THE BEST AND LATEST PROGRAMS FOR SPECTRUM,
BBC AND AMSTRAD. DIRECT BY AIR FROM ENGLAND.
For over 3 years, we have been sending I he laical
software from England quicker than anyone cist* to
almost everywhere else: M countries al ihe List pOtfnt,,
including lots of customer* in New Zealand. But until
now, we were too stupid to realise you had yuur own
magazine we could advertise in, until it was suRRCSted by
one of our customers, WE ALWAYS TRY TO SEND
YOUR PROGRAMS OUT ON THE SAME DAY WE GET
YOUR ORDER. THAT'S WHY IT'S CALLED
SPfEDYSOfT. We tesl all ihe programs we can and
choose jusl the besl to pul in our ads and our
catalogues, YOU CAN GET A CATALOGUE by sending
us just £1 .00 slcrling and we'll also send you a £1.00
voucher o\i your first order. Catalogue free wilh every
order: we quote all the reviews, show u rue touched
screen shots, even give you toad times. Our catalogue
includes afl the classic serious' software too. In this,
our first New Zealand ad, we've included mostly
cheapish sofiware - why should you trusi a lot of
money lo someone you don'l know? ■ tjtjl w% hope
that once you've seen how fast your software arrives
and read our catalogue, you'll be hack for more, like
all our Other friends in your country. IT'S FASTEST
Of ALL TO PHONE US IN ENGLAND ON 01-U4G 9353,
24HRS A DAY, 7 DA YS A WEEK and charge your order 1o
your VISA, ACCESS, EUR OCA RD or MASTERCARD.
During our office hours, you'll probably get a human
being, not our Ansaphone.
jIC GAMES, CLASSIC SERVICE"
F.irmcr. Wellington New Zealand)
DR WHO
"One ot the mpst advanced, anginal and involving text
adventure* you'll ever play." t Papular Computing Weekly
1Z'"S5) Kit includes briefing noles, blueprint, map, s,ecrei
decoder and sealed envelope with answer to a difficuM early
puzzler SPECTRUM Cassette £14.95 BBC (NOT BBC + > Casselle
£18.95 1GK ROM plus 40/80 track dala disk £19.95 AMSTRAD
464/664/61 2fi Casselle £14.95 Uisk £lfl.9S
LORD OF THE RINGS
"ONE OF THE MOST ADVANCED, ORIGINAL AND
tNVOtVWC TEXT ADVENTURES YOU'LL EVER PLAY"
{Popular Computing Weekly 12/35} The rnng-awailrtf fir^t part
ot iht? Tolkien trilogy. Package includes I he S3fl-paj;e
paperback 'The Fellowship q\ the Ring', plus 2 cassettes and a
30-page illustrated manual. There's a special BEClNNfcRS
VERSION ot pari one oi the 2- part advcniure, too. For 1 or 2
players: SAVE OK, No Stick. (Melbourne House! 5PECTRUM/
BBOall AMSTRADS: 2 tassel les/bonk £15-95
RED ARROWS
"The first thing I noticed about this program was it*, unormuus
size. The matn program was fiR bytes long! ... YHt GRAPHICS
ARE INCREDIBLE" IA&8 Computing) "Where it scores is In
the relatively gently irtfOfJiKtory stages and the tinal&m of a
performance ot aerobatics. The graphics are very good. " (ZX
Computing! "It you want to have seme fun and say thai vpu
were flying in formation with The 'Big Nine', then this program
is (or you." (Amstrad User tl'/8$) Fa<(h(uJ r and difficult, High!
simulation ol ihe Red Arrowy aerobatics. (Database)
SPECTRUM Cassette £8.95 BBC Cassetle £8.95 DiskHU/BO Track
OK) £11.95 AMSTRAD 464/6U/6 US Casselle £8.95 Disk £12,95
VISA
ACCESS
Lord of the Rings
Kc "■ .;;:
Gyroscope
Alien B
Nightshade
SPEEDYSOFT
in-iwr. 9353 c>4 hhs)
THE REAL YOU
COMPARE YOUR SEXUAL EXPERIENCE WITH tHE AVERAGE.
MEASURE YOUR OWN IQ. ARE YOU SELF-CONFIDENT OR A
5NOB! HOW HONEST ARE YOU! WHAT DO YOU BEALLY
FEAR? Ut It:?,!!. 1u try on yourscFf, your family, your friends ro
build up i tomplde diaratler profile. Six sec Tions : l.OVELIFt :
WORK: F'EKSONALITY: ANXIETY.'STRtSS: INTELLIGENCE;
VIEWS. Our frit'ntb are amazed a1 how forlhright it tz. And il
seems to work. 4B-paf? t - rnantial interpret your s cotes and
su^vsls how to improve yourselT. SPECTRUM CasseUe £12.95
BBC Casselle £14. 95 Di*lc twan Track OKI £1f,.K AMST9AD
4(4 NOT fcfiJ'liWB Casstlle £14 9S
WATERLOO
•'AN EXCITING SIMULATION .. plays fast ana a game lasts no
mare than an hour or so ... tots of fun and ideal tor
inexperienced wargamers. ' ' IS tncla ir User 1/8G) "Fas t
playable and deceptively complicated. Designed with a care
rarely encountered in computet wargaming .., A CLASSIC
GAME FOR A CLASSIC SUBJECT." (CRASH! XmasSS) 3 skill
levels: 19 command kpys- as you, Napoleon try to defeal
Wellington. FuM- screen graphics. No stick. iLoihlonenj
SPECTflLIM/BBC/AMSTWAD Casselle £9.95 BBC disk (Slale 40 or
00 Track) £12.95
WORM IN PARADISE
A BRAND NEW ADVENTURE SYSTEM FROM LEVEL 9 1 .000
word vocab u I ary : die m o* t ri dvan ced pa rser eve r : text
compression beller than 50% and MULTITASKING (SO no
wailing while pictures draw) Understands more commands
than any otherariVenlure in the world! 200 pictures on Sp and
Ami;: BBC is lext only (L eve 19) SPECTRUM' BBOall AMSTRADS
Cassette £9.95
ALIEN 8
"Far Ahead of any other games technology ...I suggest you
hock the family silver antf rush Out to buy it immediately."
(Amstrad User) One of ihe mosi famous oi all compuler
RameS and one ol oour biggest ever sellers. Uftimate graphics
are absoluiely htf.iuiiful *»nd Lnwotving' and] the storyline keeps
vou wanting to find qui more. Sticks OK. (Ultimater
SPECTRUM/BBC/all AMSTRADS £9.9S
GYROSCOPE
"It's a brilliant game ... the graphics are excellent, with
fabulous use of normattbrigbf ,,. this is one of the mpsl
addictive games I've played." (CRASH! 12/85) "Looks exactly
like 'Marble Madness' with those 3D geometric landscapes
full of lumps and dips. Sudden folk and gaping chasms ...
horribly addictive and technically very clever." (Popular
Computing Weekly 11/85) Sticks OK. (Melbourne. House)
SPECTRUM Ottelte £7,95 BBOAMSTRAD 464 (MOT 664/61 2fl>
Cassette £B95
FILL THE UE5T!"
ellinston, Now ZlmI
NIGHTSHADE
"Very impressive ... fully drawn and detailed buildings scroll
smoothly across the screen without a trace of flicker ... sfreers
ahead of moM oi the competition." (Home Computing
Weekly 11/851 'The graphics are stunning, directly using
high-resolution detail to good effect ... The smoothness of
the scrolling windows was amaiing ... 91%." iCRA5H> 11&5\
SPECTRUM/BBC/iH AMSTRADS Cassette £9.95
EUROCARD
MASTERCARD
IF YOU PREFER NOT TO CUT THIS MAGAZINE. PLEASE WRITE YOUR ORDER OUT CAREFULLY ON PLAIN PAPER AND QUOTE REFERENCE NZ1.'
POST TO: SPEEDYSOFT (NZ1)
37 CHURCH ROAD, LONDON SWT3 9HQ, ENGLAND.
For CATALOGUE ONLY, send £1 cash. Reiunded wilh your first order.
My computer is I enclose a cheque/PO payable
to Speedysdt OR charge my VISA/ACCESS^EUROCARD/MASTERCARD
Mo.
TTT1I I I I irTTT
n
Signature: Expiry Dale
Please write dearly. If we can't read it, you won't gel il.
Name:
Address: .
Postcode:
PHONE NO; if any, incase olquery
3-Bb
Program Name Cass/Disfc
Price
Postage&Packing AD D £2.00 per p rogram
Total
Order
New Zealand's
leading
highlighter //i
the marker
that makes
people read—
and
remember!
8 FLUORESCENT COLOURS— IDEAL
FOR DEPARTMENTAL CODING
Classified
Schwa n STAB HO
PANASONIC JB3901
256k Ram,
Colour Monitor
Printer Interface
Twin Quad Density 8" Disk Drives 1 .25mb
capacity each
PANASONIC JB3001
256k Ram
Monochrome Monitor
Printer Interface
RS232 Interface
Twin Quad Density 8" Disk Drives 1.25mb
capacity each.
Both machines use MS DOS and run popular
software such as Dbase, Multiplan etc. They
can be inspected between 10am and 4pm
Mon-Fri at the Buildings Section, Registry,
University of Canterbury telephone 488-489
ext 839.
Tenders are on an "As is where is" basis and
the Highest or any Tender not necessarily
accepted.
Tenders should be addressed to-:
Computer Tender
Buildings Section
Registry 5
University of Canterbury
Tenders close 5pm 30th May 1986.
SPECTRAVIDEO 328
COMPUTER BUSINESS SYSTEM
INCLUDES
- Dual 360K Disk Drives
- 80 Column Card
- 80 Column KAGA Monitor
- RS232 SErial Interface
- Centronics Printer Interface
- CP/M 2.20 Operating System
- Spectra video Disk Basic
THE FOLLOWING SOFTWARE
SUPPLIED
: Wordstar :Spellstar :Mailmerge :Reportstar
:Calcstar :Datastar : DBase II :DB plus
: Turbo Pascal :Supercalc :Business Accounts
Package :Spectravideo Basic and MSX Basic
Games :Miscellaneous Basic and CP/M disks.
THE LOT FOR $2600
Phone New Plymouth 20-760
FOR SALE; 1 Grappler Interface Card Apple
II $100. Contact MrM. Thomas, Paraparaumu
College, Phone (058) 85-158. P.O. Box 126,
Paraparaumu.
FOR SALE: 15 Mbyte Harddisk for IBM;
$1,300, IBM-compatible controller; $450.
Write P.O. Box 2384, Wellington, or Phone
(04)325-503.
FOR SALE: EPSON FX-80 Printer and
cable. Excellent condition $675.
Phone (03) 488-21 1 or write L. Cook, 15
Rochdale St, Christchurch 1 .
"TURBO PASCAL for sale. Version 3.0 for
MS-DOS generic computers on original disk
(with manual) $ 1 75 . 00 ono .
Contact Alan Maxwell, 31 Barrowclough
Street, HoonHay, Christchurch 2."
FOR SALE: Televideo TS803 microcomputer
with Panasonic KP-109 dot-matrix printer
and software. The TS803 is a 64K. 2-80
"lugabte" unit with 12" monitor and twin
360K floppy disk drives built-in. Detachable
keyboard, monochrome graphics and CP/M
operating system. Printer has dot-addressable
graphics. Suitable word-processing, business
or programming. Cost $8000 two years ago.
Asking $3000. Any reasonable offer
considered. Phone (03) 50840 or write Box
2873 Christchurch.
For Sale: Wordstar 200(1 bundled with Sanyo
885. as new. Doesn't work with Mitsubishi'
monitor. $200. Ph. Peter Fuller, 729-712,
Wellington.
EPSON MX-10O0 PRINTER $1000 o.n.o. 15"
carriage suitable for home or business use.
One owner, low mileage, excellent condition.
Genuine reason for selling. Contact Grant
Collison (04) 872-537 evenings or write 58
Lansdale Cres, Wellington 3.
Burroughs B91: For sale mini-computer with
two, 3 megabyte mini disk drives. Integrated
unit with console screen and built-in
keyboard and printer. Suitable for small
business. Software also available. All
reasonable offers considered. Contact G
Samuels of Ashton Wheelans and Hegan, P
O Box 13-042, Christchurch, Phone: 67-154.
Cat computer for sale with disk drive. $900
o.n.o. P. Tamularo, 142 South Rd.,
Masterton.
CP/M Computer, Industrial quality, cost
$5000. Includes 8 inch drive, hardware
floatingpoint maths, 64k RAM, hefty power
supply and four hundred diskettes (including
the source listings for a basic and many
business systems) requires terminal, $555 the
lot. 771-820.
COMPUTER BOOKS for sale:
"Programming the Z80" Zaks - $40; "6502
games" by Zaks - $20; "The CP/M
Handbook" by Zaks - $30; "6502 assembly
language programming" by Lcventhal - $40.
Offers accepted. Write to:
Computer Books,
7Tavendale Place,
St. Albans,
Christchurch, S,
FOR SALE: APPLE He with intra software,
monitor, disc drive. $2800. Phone 22-719,
New Plymouth.
FOR SALE: External Disc Drive for Apple
IIx, $500. Mouse and Mouse paint $200.
Phone 22-719, New Plymouth.
FOR SALE: Apple works Integrated Business
Package. C/W excellent manuals. $500. Phone
22-719, New Plymouth.
If its news. . .
ring
Steven Searie,
796-775
62 Bits & Bytes -May 1966
8S21C
Zenith. We're compatible where
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The Z-200 Advanced PC 15 faster than ... and fully compatible
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The Z-200 Advanced PC allows for tremendous expandability
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Standard Winchester model has 20 megabytes of storage and
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MATRIX
H
COMPUTING a CONSULTING LTD
P.O. Box 74-015, 300 Gt South Road,
Auckland 5, Tel: (09) 540-129
P.O. Box 11-240, 52 Manners St,
Wellington, Tel. (04) 737-873
Suppliers also of technical software for
management sciences, engineering and
mining applications.
Zenith is available from preferred computer
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For the name of your nearest supplier contact:
WARBURTON FRANKI
A DIVISION OF ANI NZ LTD
HEAD OFFICE
UNIT S, 192 WAIFIAU BD, GLENFIELD, AUCKLAND
PRIVATE BAG. TAKAPUNA. AUCKLAND. TELEX: NZ 606S3
TELEPHONE: (091 444-2645
(01)6934)16 (WELLINGTON DIRECT LINE)
Personal Computers
Simply the best value in personal computers.
Only available from:
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